7 June 1863: “L is for Lincoln, – Ah! woe to his crown / For Cotton, King Cotton is trampling him down…”

Item Description: Poem, dated 7 June 1863, from the John S. Henderson Papers.  The unidentified author assigns a trait or subject relating to the Confederacy to each letter of the alphabet.   

Item citation: From folder 34 of the John S. Henderson Papers, the Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Item transcription:

A Southern Alphabet.

“Come Willie, and say our State Alphabet,

That A’s for the Army you’ll never forget,

Then B’s for our Banner – the flag of the free –

For Beauregard, Barton, Bethel, and Bee.

C’s for the Southern Confederacy brave –

Our bold little ship, all afloat on the wave!

And D is for Davis, Oh! wide as the sea,

Shall the fame of our glorious President be!

E’s for the Eighth, they were first in the fight,

F is for Freedom, the freedom of right.

G is for Georgia, the flower, the Queen!

H is for Hampton – his Legion, I mean.

I is for Infantry, sturdy, and strong.

J to the Johnsons, and Jacksons belong.

K’s for King Cotton, he sits on his throne,

The monarch of nations, in glory alone.

L is for Lincoln, – Ah! woe to his crown,

For Cotton, King Cotton is trampling him down,

M’s for Manasses – our glory – our pride!

N for our navy, the waters to ride.

O for the Oglethorpe’s – glorious name!

Oh, write it in gold on the pages of fame!

And stamp Carolina – the rebel – the worst,

With a P for Palmetto. Secession the first!

Then Q is so twisted, so twisted, and twirled,

That Q stands for the traitors, all over the world.

R for the Rebels, who nobly will stand!

S for the South, our own sunny Land!

And the Creoles, the Tigers are graven with T.

U’s for the Union, a wreck on the sea.

V is for Victory, bright as the sun.

W for Washington, sure to be won.

And X still a place in your letters must keep,

Oh, X is a cross for the heroes we weep.

Y for the Yankees, whose sun is now set.

And Z for the Zouaves, you’ll never forget.

And here is the end of our State Alphabet.

                                 

Cooleemee Hill. Sunday afternoon.

June 7th 1863.

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