WAR OF 1812

Box 85

(30 items)
The most important American song of the War of 1812 was, of course, the "Star Spangled Banner", written a few months before the end of the conflict. There is a first edition in the collection. From the beginning of the war, however, there were songs celebrating famous events, and the Levy Collection contains a small but very important group. One of the earliest is "Hull's Victory", published in Philadelphia, probably very soon after the frigate Constitution, commanded by Issac Hull, defeated the British GuerriŠre in August 1812.

Another famous single-ship battle, between the British Shannon and the American Chesapeake, ended in the capture of the Chesapeake. Her captain, James Lawrence, was killed, but his last orders "Don't give up the ship!" caught the public imagination, and there were as many songs about Lawrence as about the more successful captains. Six are in the Levy collection and one, "Lawrence the Brave", is a unique copy.

Among other patriotic songs are "Our Rights on the Ocean", which mentions no fewer than four American victories, "Erie and Champlain", and "Ye Seamen of Columbia". There is also a solo piano piece describing the Battle of New Orleans, as well as two editions of the popular song "The Hunters of Kentucky". Filed with the music of the War of 1812 are three very rare pieces from the Tripolitan War: "Arise, Arise, Columbia's Sons Arise"; "The Waterman"; and "The Tars of Columbia".

<< Back | Next >>