Full Title

The President's grave

Description

Work for vocal quartet and piano associated with the Union side. Part of the Library of Congress Civil War Sheet Music Collection.

Transcription

Verse 1
Be silent! there cometh on spirit wings sped,
The wail of a nation in grief for the dead;
The strong and the mighty, from glory and light,
Hath waned in his brightness and left us in night;
The proud eagle banners all droopingly wave,
And the wild wings are hushed round the President's grave.
And the wild winds are hushed round the President's grave.

Verse 2
A deep brooding sorrow comes over the heart
A moan like the tempest, when summers depart,
A gushing of anguish, unbroken and still,
As tolleth the requiem o'er valley and hill;
The sun that rose bright o'er the free and the brave
Now is setting in gloom o'er the President's grave.
Now is setting in gloom o'er the President's grave.

Verse 3
Be silent! our father hath laid him to rest,
A hero of battles hath yielded his crest,
A statesman hath fallen, his counsels are o'er,
His firmness and wisdom shall guide us no more:
Let cannon boom forth and the banners all wave,
While we mingle our tears o'er the President's grave.
While we mingle our tears o'er the President's grave.

Source

Library of Congress Classification M1640.M

Rights

Public Domain. Suggested credit line: Civil War Sheet Music Collection, Library of Congress, Music Division.

Tags

Cite this Item

Miller, L. B. (composer); Babbitt, Edwin S. (lyricist). "The President's grave". Chicago: Root & Cady, 1865. Remembering Lincoln. Web. Accessed May 24, 2026. https://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/node/1035

Creator

Miller, L. B. (composer); Babbitt, Edwin S. (lyricist)

Publisher

Chicago: Root & Cady, 1865

Date

1865

Material

Sheet Music

Full Title

Lincoln's grave

Description

Song for high voice and piano that comments describes President Lincoln as a "martyr of freedom." Sheet music from the Alfred Whital Stern Collection of Lincolniana, Library of Congress Rare Book and Special Collections Division. Associated with the Union side.

Transcription

Verse 1
Far out on the plains of the beautiful west,
Whose glory and wonder Columbia adorn,
The martyr of freedom in triumph shall rest,
To bless all the living and all yet unborn;
The hand that hath slain him, how vile, O how vile!
To mar that fair visage so kind and so true!
No more shall assail him whose heart knew no guile,
But wither and perish a doom justly due.
But wither and perish a doom justly due.

Verse 2
O shade of the blessed, a nation in tears,
In sorrow and sadness its loss must deplore,
The God who hath led thee will quell all our fears,
His goodness that gave thee we still will adore;
Sweet peace, gentle sleeper, thy spirit attend,
While men, yes while angels thy praises shall sing,
Against thy blest mem'ry O who dare offend!
And not to its altar his best off'rings bring.

Verse 3
O spirit undying for death none the less,
But like Him who died that the earth might rejoice,
Thou risest victorious the nations to bless;
The bondman's delivrer, America's choice,
The hand that hath slain thee, how vile, O how vile!
To mar thy fair visage, so kind and so true,
No more shall assail thee whose heart knew no guile,
But wither and perish a doom justly due.

Source

Sheet Music from the Alfred Whital Stern Collection of Lincolniana

Rights

Public Domain. Suggested credit line: Alfred Whital Stern Collection of Lincolniana, Library of Congress, Rare Book and Special Collections Division.

Tags

Cite this Item

Gougler, Isaiah W. (composer & lyricist). "Lincoln's grave". New York: Wm. A. Pond & Co., ca. 1865. Remembering Lincoln. Web. Accessed May 24, 2026. https://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/node/1034

Creator

Gougler, Isaiah W. (composer & lyricist)

Publisher

New York: Wm. A. Pond & Co., ca. 1865

Date

ca. 1865

Material

Sheet Music

Full Title

Requiem march in honor of President Lincoln

Description

This is sheet music for President Lincoln's funeral march for solo piano. The title on the cover page is "Requiem March In honor of President Lincoln," while the first page of music lists the title as "President Lincoln's funeral march." A requiem is traditionally in a minor key and imitates the solemn, slow pace of a funeral procession. This piece is part of the Library of Congress Civil War Sheet Music Collection, associated with the Union side. Probably a third of the entire U.S. population at the time, out of a total of 31 million, participated in some kind of memorial commemoration for Lincoln. Roughly 150,000 people were present at Lincoln's funeral in Springfield.

Source

Library of Congress Classification M20.C59F

Rights

Public Domain. Suggested credit line: Civil War Sheet Music Collection, Library of Congress, Music Division.

Tags

Cite this Item

Fiske, W. O.. "Requiem march in honor of President Lincoln". Boston: Oliver Ditson & Co., 1865. Remembering Lincoln. Web. Accessed May 24, 2026. https://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/node/1033

Creator

Fiske, W. O.

Publisher

Boston: Oliver Ditson & Co., 1865

Date

1865

Material

Sheet Music

Full Title

Lincoln's funeral march: as played by Menter's Band

Description

Funeral march for solo piano. The composer dedicated this work "to the nation" and it was composed "in commemoration of Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, The Savior of His Country." Part of the Library of Congress Civil War Sheet Music Collection, associated with the Union side.

Source

Library of Congress Classification M20.C59H

Rights

Public Domain. Suggested credit line: Civil War Sheet Music Collection, Library of Congress, Music Division.

Tags

Cite this Item

Hess, Charles. "Lincoln's funeral march: as played by Menter's Band". Cincinnati: A. C. Peters & Bro., 1865. Remembering Lincoln. Web. Accessed May 24, 2026. https://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/node/1032

Creator

Hess, Charles

Publisher

Cincinnati: A. C. Peters & Bro., 1865

Date

1865

Material

Sheet Music

Full Title

President Lincoln's funeral march

Description

Funeral march for solo piano "respectfully dedicated to the people of the United States." Part of the Library of Congress Civil War Sheet Music Collection, associated with the Union Side.

Source

Library of Congress Classification M20.C59M

Rights

Public Domain. Suggested credit line: Civil War Sheet Music Collection, Library of Congress, Music Division.

Tags

Cite this Item

Mack, E.. "President Lincoln's funeral march". Philadelphia: Lee & Walker, 1865. Remembering Lincoln. Web. Accessed May 24, 2026. https://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/node/1031

Creator

Mack, E.

Publisher

Philadelphia: Lee & Walker, 1865

Date

1865

Material

Sheet Music

Full Title

Abraham Lincoln's Funeral March

Description

Funeral march for solo piano dedicated to "people of the United States." Part of the Library of Congress Civil War Sheet Music Collection, associated with the Union side.

Source

Library of Congress Classification M20.C59R

Rights

Public Domain. Suggested credit line: Civil War Sheet Music Collection, Library of Congress, Music Division.

Tags

Cite this Item

Robjohn, W. J.. "Abraham Lincoln's Funeral March". Detroit: J. Henry Whittemore, 1865. Remembering Lincoln. Web. Accessed May 24, 2026. https://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/node/1030

Creator

Robjohn, W. J.

Publisher

Detroit: J. Henry Whittemore, 1865

Date

1865

Material

Sheet Music

Full Title

The Assassin's Vision

Description

A song for medium or low voice and piano that describes the escape of President Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth. The lyrics convey that God will seek vengeance on the assassin, who will be haunted by his actions. The song has three verses that each utilize the exact same piano accompaniment, however the vocal line has slight rhythmic variations from verse to verse. The composer's note reads: "This Ballad was suggested on seeing the representation of the assassin BOOTH wildly fleeing through the forest on his horse, startled by the apparition of his victim appearing in the trees & around him." Part of the Library of Congress Civil War Sheet Music Collection, associated with the Union side.

Transcription

Verse 1
The Assassin rode on his fiery steed,
His murd'rous work was done
In the darksome night with fleeting speed,
Through woods his cours-'er run!
As he hurried away from the scene of death,
On his death, On his brow were looks of despair;
Before him! around him! The evenings breath
Told him God's vengeance was there!

Verse 2
The pale moon beamed as onward he fled,
The stars looked down from on high,
The hills and valleys were crimson red
As blood to the murd'rer's eye!
He shuddered! he trembled! And oft looked around,
And dreary seemed each passing breeze,
And lo! the assassin bound
Saw a vision appear in the trees.

Verse 3
Heaven had witnessed! he could not escape!
The assassin's fate was sealed--
"Vengeance is mine!" saith God in his might,
As the vision that night revealed.
The assassin rode on with trembling and fear,
And mournfully murmur'd the breeze;
Before him! around him! all vivid and drear,
The vision appeared in the trees.

Source

Library of Congress Classification M1640.T

Rights

Public Domain. Suggested credit line: Civil War Sheet Music Collection, Library of Congress, Music Division.

Tags

Cite this Item

Turner, J. W. (composer & lyricist). "The Assassin's Vision". Cleveland: S. Branard's Sons, 1865. Remembering Lincoln. Web. Accessed May 24, 2026. https://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/node/1029

Creator

Turner, J. W. (composer & lyricist)

Publisher

Cleveland: S. Branard's Sons, 1865

Date

1865

Material

Sheet Music

Full Title

In memoriam Abraham Lincoln: National Chant

Description

Choral work honoring President Lincoln's legacy that features four part chorus, a soprano solo, and a solo vocal quartet, with piano or organ accompaniment. It is dedicated "To a Mourning World" and sets an "exquisite and popular poem" by W. Dexter Smith. Part of the Library of Congress Civil War Sheet Music Collection, associated with the Union side.

Transcription

[Chorus]
Columbia weeps! Columbia weeps!
Her cherished son,
Who struck her fetters to the ground,
Who saved the land of Washington,
Has passed from earth's most distant bound;
Has passed from earth's most distant bound

[Soprano solo]
His spirit went to realms on high,
His dust, alone, the earth could claim,
His memory will never die
While freemen live to bless his name,
His memory will never die
While freemen live to bless his name.

[Solo quartet]
Columbia swears, anew, her vow
To guard the birthright of the free;
Unsheathed her sword of Justice, now
Since Mercy, since Mercy fell by Tyranny

[Solo and chorus]
Our nations hopes and fears alike
Are with the land our fathers trod,
And while for Freedom, now, we strike,
Our future is alone with God!
And while for Freedom, now, we strike,
Our future is alone with God! alone with God!

Source

Library of Congress Classification M1640.K

Rights

Public Domain. Suggested credit line: Civil War Sheet Music Collection, Library of Congress, Music Division.

Tags

Cite this Item

Keller, M. (composer); Smith Jr., W. Dexter (lyricist). "In memoriam Abraham Lincoln: National Chant". New York: Wm. Hall & Son, 1866. Remembering Lincoln. Web. Accessed May 24, 2026. https://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/node/1028

Creator

Keller, M. (composer); Smith Jr., W. Dexter (lyricist)

Publisher

New York: Wm. Hall & Son, 1866

Date

1866-05-01

Material

Sheet Music

Full Title

Abraham Lincoln's funeral march, op. 7

Description

Funeral march composed "in memory of a country's martyred father" for solo pianoforte. The work contains two principal thematic subjects and a trio section, and is associated with the Union side.

Source

Library of Congress Classification M20.C59W

Rights

Public Domain. Suggested credit line: Civil War Sheet Music Collection, Library of Congress, Music Division.

Tags

Cite this Item

Wolfsieffer, William. "Abraham Lincoln's funeral march, op. 7". Philadelphia: Louis Meyer, 1865. Remembering Lincoln. Web. Accessed May 24, 2026. https://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/node/1027

Creator

Wolfsieffer, William

Publisher

Philadelphia: Louis Meyer, 1865

Date

1865

Material

Sheet Music

Full Title

Lincoln's funeral march

Description

Funeral march composed for solo piano. The composer is associated with the Union side. Davis dedicated to work "to the memory of the pure & noble patriot Abraham Lincoln 16th President of the U.S."

Source

Library of Congress Classification M20.C59D

Rights

Public Domain. Suggested credit line: Civil War Sheet Music Collection, Library of Congress, Music Division.

Tags

Cite this Item

Davis, E. C.. "Lincoln's funeral march". St. Louis: Balmer & Weber, 1865. Remembering Lincoln. Web. Accessed May 24, 2026. https://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/node/1026

Creator

Davis, E. C.

Publisher

St. Louis: Balmer & Weber, 1865

Date

1865

Material

Sheet Music