"The Bonnie Blue Flag", also known as "We Are a Band of Brothers", is an 1861 marching song associated with the Confederate States of America.

The song was premiered by lyricist Harry McCarthy during a concert in Jackson, Mississippi, in the spring of 1861 and performed again in September of that same year at the New Orleans Academy of Music for the First Texas Volunteer Infantry regiment mustering in celebration.

The "band of brothers" mentioned in the first line of the song recalls the well known St. Crispin's Day Speech in William Shakespeare's play Henry V (Act IV, scene ii).

The first verse of the song goes: 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 threatened, the cry rose near and far, Hurrah!

She leads the way in honor's path: Come, brothers, near and far, Come, rally round the Bonnie Blue Flag That bears a single star!

We've borne the Yankee trickery, The Yankee gibe and sneer, Till Northern insolence and pride Know neither shame nor fear; But ready now with shot and steel Their brazen front to mar, We holst aloft the Bonnie Blue Flag That bears a single star.

Now Georgia marches to the front, And close beside her come Her sisters of the Mexique sea, With pealing trump and drum; Till answering back from hill and glen The rallying cry afar, A nation holsts the Bonnie Blue Flag That bears a single star.

By every stone in Charleston Bay, By each beleaguered town, We swear to rest not night nor day, But hunt the tyrants down; Till bathed in valor's holy blood The gazing world afar Shall greet with shouts the Bonnie Blue Flag That bears a single star.

We are a band of brothers, and native to the soil, Fighting for our property we gained by honest toil; And when our rights were threatened, and the cry rose near and far, Hurrah!

As long as the Union was faithful to her trust Like friends and like brother, were we kind we were and just But now, when Northern treachery attempts our rights to mar We hoist on high the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star.

First gallant South Carolina nobly made the stand, Then came Alabama and took her by the hand; Next, came Mississippi, Georgia, and Florida, All raised on high the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star.

Ye men of valor gather round the banner of the right Texas and Louisiana will join us in the fight and Davis serve, for a President, and Stephens statesmen rare Now rally round the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star.

Impelled by her example, let other states prepare To hoist high the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star.)

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 prefer, So cheer for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star.

Chorus[9] The song is a useful mnemonic for the list of states that seceded, although for reasons of meter the third verse re-arranges the order of secession.

One Union version, written by J. L. Geddes, in 1863,[11][12] a British-born colonel who immigrated to the U.S., was called "The Bonnie Flag With the Stripes and Stars".

So now you hear the bugles, We come the sons of Mars, To rally round the brave old flag That bears the stripes and stars.

Our pride is fair Columbia, No stain her beauty mars, On her we'll raise the brave old flag That bears the stripes and stars.

We'll pledge the hand of friendship, And think no more of war, But dwell in peace beneath the flag That bears the stripes and stars.

Gordon of 538 Broadway Street in New York went: We are a band of Patriots who each leave home and friend, Our noble Constitution and our Banner to defend, Our Capitol was threatened, and the cry rose near and far, To protect our Country's glorious Flag that glitters with many a star.

Much patience and forbearance, the North has always shown, Toward her Southern brethren, who had each way their own; But when we made our President—a man whom we desired, Their wrath was roused, they mounted guns, and on Fort Sumter fired.

They forced the war upon us, for peaceful men are we, They steal our money, seize our forts, and then as cowards flee, False to their vows, and to the Flag, that once protected them, They sought the Union to dissolve, earth's noblest, brightest, gem.

The "Bonnie Blue Flag" will be hauled down and every traitor die, Freedom and Peace enjoyed by all, as ne'er was known before, Our spangled Banner wave on high, with stars just Thirty Four[14] Chorus

[15]My Name is Tim McDonald, I'm a native of the Isle I was born among old Erin's Bogs when I was but a child My Father fought in '98 for liberty so dear; He fell upon old Vinegar Hill, like an Irish Volunteer!