Julia Ward

a poet, author, composer, abolitionist, suffragist and more -- but she is most remembered for writing the lyrics to The Battle Hymn of the Republic. According to the story, she and her husband were asleep at the Willard Hotel one night in November 1861, when she awoke to voices in the street singing "John Brown's body lies a-moldering in the grave." From the window, she saw lines of Union troops marching by. Inspired, she composed new words to their tune, which they'd adapted from old hymns. The Battle Hymn of the Republic became the Union anthem. Read More