[Deposited October 18, 1864.
Recorded Vol. 39. Page 749.
No. 212..]
"Is it mother's
gentle touch?" [19 Oct 1864; 28 Jan 1865]
As sung by the
 ARION GLEE CLUB,
Words by
THEO. D. C. MILLER,
MUSIC BY
V. E. MARSTON.

Boston, MA: Oliver Ditson & Co., 277 Washington St.
Cinn. J. Church Hr.
N. York. W. A. Pond & Co.
Chicago. Lyon & Healy.
Boston. J.C. Haynes & Co.
Phia. J. E. Gould.
[27421]
[M 1640
  .M]
[COPYRIGHT
28 Jan 1865
LIBRARY]
[Plate no.] 22440
[Source: civilwardigital.com]

  This song was founded on the following incident.  A Soldier 
in one of our N. E. Regiments, while engaged in one of our 
fiercest  battles was fatally wounded and taked to the 
hospital.  When the sad tidings reached his mother, she flew 
with all the eagerness of amother’s heart to see her darling 
boy.  On arriving at the hospital, after some little delay, 
she was admitted.  Passing the the side of the couch where 
her boy lay apparently unconscious, she placed her hand 
upon his forehead.  He seemed to revive, and asked, “Who
is this beside me, it seems like my mother’s touch.”  He 
afterward exclaimed. “Is it my mother!” and soon expired.

1. Oh, how like my gentle mother’s,
Is that touch so soft and warm,
And my couch seems strewn with roses,
Flow’rs kiss’d by refreshing storms,
O, how blessed is this moment,
Happy heart feels naught of fear,
For ’tis mother bending o’er me,
She will dry each flowing tear.

CHORUS 1-3.
Darling Mother, I am going,
With the angel band on high,
For our Liberty I’ve fallen,
And am not afraid to die.

2. Brothers, lighten up my chamber
For the night is dark and drear,
I would see my gentle mother,
Hear her words of love and cheer,
Oh, how fondly I remember
Happy childhood’s sunny hours,
And those fairy gleams of beauty,
Seen from dear New England’s bow’rs.

3. What dear form is this beside me,
What hand is this on my brow,
It reminds me of my childhood,
Darling mother, is it thou,
Oh, that touch of pure affection
None but mother’s hand can give
It is mother, darling mother,
For thee only would I live.