"Hard Tack Come Again No More"

This is a song from the Civil War written by many soldiers. It is a parody of Stephen Foster's song, "Hard Times Come Again No More". The song was first called "Hard Crackers, Come Again No More". It is a sarcastic complaint about the quality of the provisions provided by military contractors. As I mentioned the authors of the verses of the song are unknown. However, there is indication that the first version is attributed to Josiah Fowler of the First Iowa Infantry dating about June, 1861.

The Lyrics of the song are:

"Let us close our game of poker, take our tin cups in our hand
As we all stand by the cook's tent door
As dried mummies of hard crackers are handed to each man.
O, hard tack, come again no more!

Chorus:

'Tis the song, the sigh of the hungry:
"Hard tack, hard tack, come again no more."
Many days you have lingered upon our stomachs sore.
O, hard tack, come again no more!

'Tis a hungry, thirsty soldier who wears his life away
In torn clothes-his better days are o'er.
And he's sighing now for whiskey in a voice as dry as hay,
"O, hard tack, come again no more!"
Sing Chorus again.

'Tis the wail that is heard in camp both night and day,
'Tis the murmur that's mingled with each snore.
'Tis the sighing of the soul for spring chickens far away.
"O, hard tack, come again no more!"
Sing chorus again.

But to all these cries and murmurs, there comes a sudden hush
As frail forms are fainting by the door.
For they feed us now on horse feed that the cooks call mush!
O. hard tack, come again once more!

Final chorus:

'Tis the dying wail of the starving:
"O, hard tack, hard tack, come again once more!"
You were old and wormy, but we pass your failings o'er.
O, hard tack, come again once more!

The soldiers got worse food than the hard tack and thus wished for its return. These were such hard times for soldiers.

This is priceless, Donna... thanks for another wonderful post!

Borderruffian Thanks so much for posting the song. It is great.