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@2ndSouthCarolinaStringBand https://youtu.be/FW0b7O5EFS8
The British (the English version is called “Brighton Camp”) officially introduced the song to America during the Revolutionary War. Later, soldiers of the Mexican War joked grimly about “The Leg I Left Behind Me,” and Civil War parodists in the same spirit of fun sang “I Goes To Fight Mit Sigel,” a dialect song which played on the stereotype of the Dutchman who, along with the Negro and the Irishman, enjoyed center stage at that time. Ever watchful for a hit, the irrepressible Harry Macarthy exploited the tune for “The Volunteer; or, It Is My Country’s Call” to stir up Southern patriotic sentiment. The song’s long history and numerous versions attest both to the sturdiness of its tune and to the universality of its sentiment." Source: https://ageofrevolution.net/born-in-battle-the-american-revolution-online/music/the-girl-i-left-behind-me
During the War of 1812, American soldiers are said to have heard a captured British prisoner singing the tune. The United States Army adopted the song and made “The Girl I Left Behind Me” into a march. The song still remains in the military’s repertoire and can be heard at West Point as part of a medley for the cadet’s final formation at graduation.