The Wandering Refugee Civil War Era Sheet Music | 1866 | Will S. Hays | Louisville, Kentucky

Published in Louisville, Kentucky, during the early Reconstruction era, this original 1866 edition of The Wandering Refugee features music by Will S. Hays (1837–1907), the influential American songwriter often referred to as the "Stephen Foster of the South." Combining an illustrated lithographed cover with themes of exile, separation and longing for home, the piece reflects the sentimental music that flourished in the years immediately following the American Civil War.

This is the original Civil War-era sheet music for The Wandering Refugee, composed by Will S. Hays and published by Louis Tripp of Louisville, Kentucky. Issued shortly after the end of the American Civil War, this edition includes additional verses by Dr. W. B. Wood, dated St. Mary, July 1866, and inscribed "To the Memory of the Lamented Ex-Gov. Allen”. The dedication commemorates Henry Watkins Allen (1820–1866), Confederate Governor of Louisiana from 1864 until the end of the war in 1865, who fled to Mexico following the Confederacy's defeat and died there on 22 April 1866, placing the publication within the turbulent years immediately following the conflict.

The illustrated cover depicts a solitary young woman standing before a rural landscape beneath the title The Wandering Refugee. The composition is dedicated to Mr. Rob't W. Mays, with the cover promoting the song by Will S. Hays and piano variations by Charles C. Robe. Published in Louisville, Kentucky, the work reflects the sentimental themes that became especially popular in American music during the Reconstruction era.

The sheet music measures 10 1/2 inches by 13 1/2 inches and consists of 6 pages, with the illustrated front cover serving as page one, page two blank, three pages of music and lyrics, and a blank rear cover.

Condition

The sheet music remains in very good condition for its age. There is age toning together with wear along the spine and edges. The cover is detached from the remainder of the piece. There is some waviness at the upper right, which may be flattened. Please examine the photographs for a detailed representation of its condition.

An original Reconstruction-era issue published in Louisville shortly after the Civil War, preserving its illustrated cover, complete musical score and additional 1866 verses. Its historical context, association with Will S. Hays and dedication to Henry Watkins Allen make it an interesting example of nineteenth-century American sheet music.