The song “Dixie” is forever associated with the South before and during the Civil War. Ironically, it was written by an Ohioan named Daniel Decatur Emmett. He meant it to evoke a the positive effects of slavery, although it may have been a parody. It was first sung as part of a minstrel show in New York City in 1859. It was quickly adopted by the South as an unofficial national anthem. Interestingly, Abraham Lincoln claimed it was his favorite song and had it played by a band after he heard about Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House. Not every Northerner loved it. During the war, Union soldiers sang their own versions of it. Here is one:
Away down South in the land of traitors,
Rattlesnakes and alligators,
Right away, come away, right away, come away.
Where cotton’s king and men are chattels,
Union boys will win the battles,
Right away, come away, right away, come away.
Then we’ll all go down to Dixie,
Away, away,
Each Dixie boy must understand
That he must mind his Uncle Sam.
https://www.wearethemighty.com/history/union-troops-changed-words-dixie?rebelltitem=2#rebelltitem2 & Wikipedia
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