The Bonnie Blue Flag | The Confederacy by Richard Bales

3. The Bonnie Blue Flag—Chorus and Full Orchestra Harry Macarthy wrote the words and Valentine Vousden the music for this great marching song. Macarthy, self-styled “The Arkansas Comedian’’, and a leading entertainer, introduced The Bonnie Blue Flag at one of his ‘‘Personation Concerts”’ in 1861. This led to fame and success for Macarthy, who nevertheless departed from the South when the cause appeared lost. During the occupation of New Orleans, General Ben. F. Butler is said to have seized the plates from its publisher, A. E. Blackmar, fined him, and threatened arrest for any Southerner caught singing or otherwise performing The Bonnie Blue Flag. Three of its seven stanzas are quoted in this setting.

1. We are a band of brothers
And native to the soil,
Fighting for our liberty,
With treasure blood and toil.
And when our rights were threaten'd
The cry rose near and far,
Hurrah for The Bonnie Blue Flag
That bear a single star!
(Chorus)
Hurrah! Hurrah! For Southern rights hurrah!
Hurrah for The Bonnie Blue Flag
That bears a single star!
2. And here's to brave Virginia
The old Dominion State,
With the young Confederacy
At length has linked her fate.
Impell'd by her example,
Now other states prepar',
To hoist high The Bonnie Blue Flag,
That bears a single star!
(Repeat Chorus)
3. Then here's to our Confederacy
Strong we are and brave,
Like Patriots of old
We'll fight our heritage to save.
And rather than submit to shame,
To die we would prefar',
So cheer for The Bonnie Blue Flag,
That bears a a single star!
(Repeat Chorus)