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Song: Caissons go rolling along
by RS  admin@creationpie.com : 1024 x 640


1. Song: Caissons go rolling along
Logo: United States Army
What might the official song of the U.S. Army, "The caissons go rolling along", written in 1908, have to do with Christmas?
The song was written by Edmund "Snitz" Gruber, a descendant of Franz Gruber, who composed "Silent Night" in 1818, 90 years earlier.
Information sign More: Song: Silent night

2. Verse 1
Over hill, over dale.as we hit the dusty trail,
And those caissons go rolling along.
In and out, hear them shout,
Counter march and right about,
And those caissons go rolling along.

3. Refrain
Then it's hi! hi! hee! In the field artillery,
Shout out your numbers loud and strong,
For where e'er you go,
You will always know
That those caissons go rolling along.

4. Hill and dale
In verse one, what is "dale" as opposed to "hill"?

5. Official song of the United States Army
Speaking of soldiers, how many Roman soldiers did Mary and Joseph see on their trip to the inn in Bethlehem? At the time of the birth of Christ, Judea, ruled by Herod, who had his own Army, was a buffer state between Rome and Parthia and aligned with Rome.

Rome did not take control of Judea until a few years after Herod died, shortly after the birth of Christ. Remember, they fled to Egypt and returned after Herod had passed away.

6. The Snitz
"The Army Goes Rolling Along" was designated the official song of the United States Army in 1956. Yet its history goes back to March 1908 when Brigadier General Edmund Louis "Snitz" Gruber, a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, wrote "The Caissons Go Rolling Along." (Library of Congress) Early in his Army career Gruber, a `descendant of Franz Gruber, the composer of "Silent Night," was stationed in the Philippines. During a difficult march through the Zambales Mountains on Luzon island Gruber went ahead with a small detachment to select the best route for his battalion. He climbed to higher ground to get an overview and to look back down on the marching companies and artillery. As they rattled nearer Gruber heard one of the section chiefs shout out to his drivers, "Come on! Keep 'em rolling!" (Library of Congress) For more information on Silent Night, see the following: Song: Silent night.

7. End of page

by RS  admin@creationpie.com : 1024 x 640