In the eighth stanza, Randolph laments that he cannot take up the musket and fight anymore.1 The word “anymore” illustrates that he probably took part in the recently ended war. The conflict was bitter and quite biased against the North, so he views the Republic and the constitution as mere instruments from the latter region. His biases have thus caused him to speak against critical principles of the US like freedom.
Southerners were regarded as masters by their slaves. not only were they going to lose this status, but they now had to submit to the North. The hatred and bitterness should not come as a surprise as the defeat had adverse consequences. It is these sentiments that informed the writer of the song. He probably detested the fact that he now had to play to demands from the ‘Yankees’. He has a rebellious character in the song because he lost so much. It is for this reason that he does not care for their pardons. he boldly claims that he wishes he could kill some more Northerners, but the law does not allow him.
The song was written in 1860 immediately after the Civil war. the South had lost, and one of the terms of the war was to integrate them into the Union. A lot of losses had been reported and it was clear that the people were devastated. In the period just before composure of the song, an appalling loss of lives had been recorded. It is estimated that approximately 20% of the adult white male population had been wiped out in the South. Therefore, the men were physically and emotionally wounded.
Farm buildings in the region had been fully ruined. Additionally, work animals as well as the machinery used for in economic activities were destroyed. The value of everything within the Southern states was low because of the War. In fact it is estimated that even 10 years after the Civil war, all the assets in the South were still 30% less than their former value.