The Rogues March

Played when undesireables, both military and civilian, were drummed out of camp, or on their way to punishment. It's origins are uncertain, but it probably dates to the early 18th century. Originally a British Army tune, it found it's way, with embellishments, into the American Army in the 19th century.

[@SimonWarren28977]

Came looking for this after reading in ‘Post Captain’, Jack Aubrey addresses would-be mutineers that he’d be empowered to ‘run you up to the yardarm with the Rogue’s March playing’ - also recognise it now from Sharpe, sung by Hagman to deserters. Thanks for uploading!

[@nealrose8653]

Post Captain... 🤔 Trying to remember, its been nearly 30 years since I read the Aubery - Maturin series... HM Sophie? Isn't this the one where Jack first meets Stephen? At... a concert I believe. And they both kind of expect to duel. That is until Jack is promoted and Givin command of the HM(S?) Sophie... a sloop. 12 gun sloop perhaps? I need to read all those Patrick O'Brian books again, they're really entertaining.

[@ToozdaysChild]

@@nealrose8653 "Post Captain" is the second book of the series, in which Jack takes command of _HMS Polychrest_ , a crank, unweatherly tub of a vessel. Jack and Stephen's first meeting takes place in the first paragraphs of the first book; they were both attending a private concert hosted by Mrs. Molly Harte (wife of Admiral Harte, Jack's superior) in Port Mahon. Stephen took issue with Jack's... shall we say 'overly-enthusiastic' enjoyment of the music, and the two very nearly challenged one another. Returning to his room at a local inn, Jack received the letter and orders from the Admiralty promoting him from Lieutenant to Master and Commander, requiring and Directing him to take command of _HMS Sophie_ (A 14-gun sloop, if I recall correctly). Jack was in such high spirits over his promotion that the next morning, when he spotted Stephen on the street, he immediately rushed over and apologized for his boorish behavior at the concert, and invited him to dine. That evening, the two bonded over the best and largest meal Stephen had eaten in months, and Jack, learning that Stephen was a physician, offered him a place aboard the _Sophie_ as her Surgeon. And thus began a life-long friendship. I really love these books, if you can't already tell.

[@hedspinnerUK]

I'm here after hearing Hagman singing it. I'm having a Sharpe binge

[@baraxor]

This song is the source of the term "face the music" after you've made a big mistake.

[@robdee81]

oh yeah thats makes sense , thanks for that.

[@Grymbaldknight]

I've actually been looking for this march for a while, so i'm very glad to have stumbled across it. It's a tune which cropped up regularly in the old TV series "Sharpe". "The Rogues' March" seems like a good fit for the infamous 95th, both in tone and in name.

[@jeremy1392]

Sharpe does a good job of showing how soldiers didn't just stay in lines all the time, and also the reasons why the soldiers did stay in lines when they did, but it also makes the rifles seem to be a unit separate from the army, sort of jumping around a lot. This would not have been the case at all.

[@colinmcdonald8521]

The 95th weren't infamous, they were first an experimental and then an elite regiment, and as such could pick and choose, which meant that flogging in the Green Jackets was a very' very rare event, and men didn't desert.

[@michalsoukup1021]

When Rogues march is played in Sharpe its usually just before some bloody oaf, Simmerson most often walk themselves into defeat or disgrace.

[@martinaaron609]

@@colinmcdonald8521 Untrue - records show the 95th were no better or worse than most line regiments in terms of court martials and desertion.

[@colinmcdonald8521]

@@martinaaron609 Sources and dates of sources to support this? The dates are probably important.

[@Michael.96]

Fifty I got for selling me coat, Fifty for selling me blankets, If ever I 'list for a soldier again The devil shall be me sergeant. Poor old soldier, poor old soldier! Fifty I got for selling me coat, Fifty for selling me blankets, If ever I 'list for a soldier again The devil shall be me sergeant. Fifty I got for selling me coat, Fifty for selling me blankets, If ever I 'list for a soldier again The devil shall be me sergeant.

[@Frimija_ayt_msemna]

Came looking for this after reading " the arrest of lieutenant Golightly " by Rudyard Kipling

[@flyinglpranch3886]

They, apparently, took the last two lines from one of the verses and used it for the Chorus. I've seen several versions with different chorus lyrics depending upon which verse they decided to recycle. With that in mind, here's my favourite version of the "Long Form" -- with my favourite version of the Chorus: I left my home, I left my job And went into the army If I'd known then what I know now I wouldn't have been so barmy. Chorus: Poor old soldier, Poor old soldier If ever I 'list for a soldier again The devil shall be me sergeant. They gave me a gun and a big red coat The gave me lots of drilling If I'd known then what I know now I wouldn't have took the shilling. Chorus: Poor old soldier, Poor old soldier If ever I 'list for a soldier again The devil shall be me sergeant. Sent me off on a dirty old boat By Christ she was no beauty Far across the sea we went Afore to do our duty Chorus: Poor old soldier, Poor old soldier If ever I 'list for a soldier again The devil shall be me sergeant. Fought the Russians, or was it the French Really couldn't tell, sir All I know is they fought so hard They sent us all to hell, sir. Chorus: Poor old soldier, Poor old soldier If ever I 'list for a soldier again The devil shall be me sergeant. When we got back to home again Desertion was my intent, sir I sold my cot and I sold my coat And over the wall I went, sir. Chorus: Poor old soldier, Poor old soldier If ever I 'list for a soldier again The devil shall be me sergeant. I went to a pub and I got drunk And that is where they found me Back to barracks in chains I went And there they did impound me. Chorus: Poor old soldier, Poor old soldier If ever I 'list for a soldier again The devil shall be me sergeant. Fifty I got for selling me coat Fifty for selling me blankets If ever I 'list for a soldier again The devil be my sergeant. Chorus: Poor old soldier, Poor old soldier If ever I 'list for a soldier again The devil shall be me sergeant.

[@williamedwards7299]

Had to hear this I just read that this song is what the fife and drummers would play as a dishonorable discharged soldier was escorted out of the barracks during the American revolution.

[@MrSniperdude01]

Just think of all the guys who got their shit kicked in before being drumed out of service while this song was played. Or At the very least, a pretty nasty flogging with a whip.

[@thedynastycontinues945]

Thank you for the description and the upload. Was just reading how when Benjamin Church was being led out of Henry Vassall house they were playing this music.

[@magistergreene4708]

Awesome. Keep'em coming man. Huzzah!

[@spaxspore]

Hard to find this LP... didnt blink twice paying $50.

[@richardcleveland8549]

Interesting, to say the least! A different take on military life, for sure!

[@ToozdaysChild]

"We have a short way with mutineers, sir. We hanged all we could set our hands on; ran 'em up the yardarm directly, with the 'Rogue's March' playing." -Captain Jack Aubrey, RN, in _HMS Surprise_ by Patrick O'Brian

[@willobi]

75 lashes for marching out of step too the next man.

[@willobi]

@CelticSaxon88 "Sir thank you sir!" "Please my I have another?"

[@earlofwarwick3533]

Thank you so much!!!!!!!

[@cwjmkj]

This song referenced in Gary B. Nash's "The Unknown American Revolution: The Unruly Birth of Democracy and the Struggle to Create America." The poor of Philadelphia paraded a papier-mache effigy of Benedict Arnold about town in 1780 while fife and drum played this tune.

[@cairob7617]

I've recently read an article in the deep south during early 1900 late 1800, if a person committed a heinous crime to a victim and said victim died before the trial the perpetrator had to be released. Freed with no punishment. Subsequently the town's people would now apprehended the perp severely whip tar and feather the individual at the end of the day the person would be led by the lynch man while the " March of the Rouge's " being played with all townspeople present and then would be lynched for all to see. Now that's deep, " The deep south".

[@pinkmichelefloyd]

Where did you read that? Do you know which states? It's very interesting. I think either Henry I or Henry II of England was king when they ushered in a justice reform where heinous crimes (like murder) were treated as crimes against the King. Before that, it was often a matter of trial by combat, which was deeply unfair if you were a poor, elderly father who wanted charges brought against a son's murderer. Therefore, murder became a crime against the Crown. Shire reeves (Sheriffs) and magistrates were in charge of administrating the King's justice. In the USA, it came to be known as a crime against the State. All that said, early America involved combining many different colonies who had their own rules.

[@SH-xr8hc]

You referring to lynch law in the United States?

[@MonkeyVideoWonders]

A classic. Still remember the Blobshires lyrics ... "Fifty I got for smokin' me pot ..."

[@bskorupk]

who were the Blobshires? I remember it mentioned in a Fragments from France cartoon.

[@MonkeyVideoWonders]

bskorupk A WWI British reenacting group of great renown. Respected by some, feared by all.

[@OrlopRat42]

Brian English Aye. Mainly Black Watch, and a Gurkha. The Doughboys feared us even more than the Germans did.

[@mstannard-powell2957]

50 lashes!

[@Patrick-dj9dd]

CAN IT HARRIS

[@thehistoryboys264]

Harris, what is your first name?

[@zachgeorge98]

Harris the bloody hell are you doing here

[@Likes_Trains]

50 I got for selling my hog 50 for selling her blanket poor ol' hoagie! poor ol' hoagie

[@jackhackett80]

Fact. They would use this song while marching whores out of town.

[@cairob7617]

Correction could be releasd.

[@TheSealOfTheRose]

50 what? 50 pence would have been huge amount to a privet soldier to those days. And 50 pounds would be equal to several thousand?

[@OrlopRat42]

50 lashes with the cat o' nine tails.

[@TheSealOfTheRose]

OrlopRat42 I i see. That makes sense. I was thinking that he sold his jacket and 50 would make him rich. I should i realised about the lashes.

[@FortunaFortesJuvat]

TheSealOfTheRose Oddly enough, 50 pence would have been a tidy sum back in those days. A soldier's pay was 1 shilling per day, and under the old money system, 50 pence would have worked out to 6s/2d, nearly a week's pay!

[@TheSealOfTheRose]

FortunaFortesJuvat I know that is what I said. Not only that but they normally did not get their pay on time. The navy was even worse wives could be waiting two years to receive it.

[@Albukhshi]

+FortunaFortesJuvat well, the pay was only raised to 1 shilling in 1797 IIRC: up to then (since 1660 actually), it was IIRC 8 pence a day.

[@gonvillebromhead2457]

where do you find all these songs