JOHN BROWN'S BODY.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 3, 5 January 1916, Page 7

JOHN BROWN'S BODY.

SONG WITH A STORY. Though one has heard much of "John Brown's Body" in connection with, the tragedy of Miss Cavell, the para'llel consists only in the inspiration afforded by the two examples, John Brown was a fanatical opponent of slavery, who, in 1859, established an armed camp at Harper's Ferry with the intention of assisting fugitive negroes to escape to Canada. With eighteen men he marched upon and captured 'an undefended arsenal, for which offence —an act of Avar against the United States Government —he 'and his surviving companions were convicted and hanged. It was an ill-considered enterprise (for it turned out that the negroes were not at all anxious to escape), but, as an embodiment of the Northern hatred of slavery, his name became a watchword in the ensuing conflict. It was not till over eighteen months later that the famous song made its appearance. There is a good deal of uncertainty 'about its history, but it is now generally believed to have been first sung on July 18, 1.861, by the 12th Massachusetts Regiment "'in marching through the streets of Boston en their way to the South. Both words and tune had just been improvised (as our men at the Front are improvising words and tunes to-day) by four men of the regiment.