Old Joe Hooker

[D.H. Hill]

Does anyone know the words to the song? Also were there different U.S., C.S. versions?

Thank you, D.H.

 

[War Horse]

I do know that who else but JEB Stuart had his own version to the song where he invites fighting Joe to come out of the Wilderness. So I believe each side had it's own versions.

Here is one I found.

http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/old-american-songs/o-fighting-joe-hooker-the-brave.htm

 

[Northern Light]

From Wikipedia:

His men parodied Hooker in the popular war song Marching Along. The lines
McClellan's our leader,
He's gallant and strong

were replaced by

Joe Hooker's our leader,
He takes his whiskey strong.[18]

Historian Stephen W. Sears, however, states that there is no basis to the claims that Hooker was either a heavy drinker, or that he was ever intoxicated on the battlefield.[19

I don't know if this is what you are looking for, but it was the only thing I could find.

 

[D.H. Hill]

Still haven't found the lyrics, though it seems to have been a parody of "Old Abe Lincoln Came Out of the Wilderness", itself a parody of "Ain't I glad I got out the wilderness" (aka "Down in Alabam'"). It was also called General Hooker's Quickstep.

 

[Northern Light]

2nd carolina string band-jine the cavalry2nd carolina string band-jine the cavalry

 

[War Horse]

2nd carolina string band-jine the cavalry2nd carolina string band-jine the cavalry

A favorite of J.E.B Stuart's.

 

[Northern Light]

A favorite of J.E.B Stuart's.

sorry screwed this up

 

[diane]

The song was super short - here it is:

Old Joe Hooker, won't you come out the Wilderness
Come out the Wilderness
Come out the Wilderness
Old Joe Hooker, won't you come out the Wilderness
Come out the Wilderness now

There were a lot of things going on with that little song, which Jeb Stuart just sang off the cuff as it were, to encourage the men at a dispirited time. The tune was one familiar to all of them: Old Dan Tucker. Here it is by the 2nd SC String Band:

The Wilderness was a reference to both the location of the fighting and an old timey black spiritual: Come Out the Wilderness. Here it is:

 

[D.H. Hill]

To clarify, I'm talking about the yankee song:

I saw a reference somewhere to U.S. troops early in the Chancellorsville campaign singing:
"Old Joe Hooker went into the wilderness
into the wilderness
into the wilderness
Old Joe Hooker went into the wilderness..."

but that's all I know so far. I guess I did ask about C.S. versions, though.

 

[diane]

oh.

 

[Northern Light]

Well now that we know THAT , we can know this:
The Old Joe Hooker Quickstep (a.k.a "Old Abe Lincoln Came Out The Wilderness,") is from the 26th North Carolina Regiment (Confederate). "Old Joe Hooker" refers to Union Army Major General Joseph Hooker and originates from the time of his loss to General Robert E. Lee at the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. And, if you've no idea what a Quickstep is, see the content (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quickstep) at wikipedia.org.

A bit more about the battles, with specific reference to the lyrics, can be found at books.google.com (the link contains all of the significant data for the book)

Joseph Hooker (left) and Robert E. Lee (do you really need him pointed out?). Both photos are attributed to Mathew Brady, although the Hooker photo may be by Levin C. Handy.

The sheet music for the Federal City Brass Band arrangement (by Jari Villanueva, jvmusic.net) is available online at www.jvmusic.net/FCBB/12OldJoeHooker.pdf.

From this interesting site http://www.somewhereville.com/?tag=old-joe-hooker

Edit: If you notice the main theme of this is a variation of "Jine the Cavalry".