from "Songs with Choruses by Will S. Hays", [No. 1 of 5]
"Oh! I Wish This War Was Over" (1864)
Written & Composed by William Shakespeare Hays

Publisher: D. P. FAULDS, Louisville, KY, 223 Main St.
Plate No. 1382-4
Engraver & Printer: L. Slinglandt
[Source: 200001358@LoC/IHAS-CWM]

1. 
My Johnny’s in the Army,
And never has been slain,
And once he come to see me,
But he went back again,
And often have I miss’d him,
And sigh’d for him to come,
Oh! I wish this war was over,
And my Johnny would come home.

CHORUS [sung two times after each verse]
Why don’t they cease their fighting,
And stop the fife and drum?
Oh! I wish this war was over,
And my Johnny would come home.

2. 
They say he has been wounded,
And many ’round him fell,
But Johnny wrote a letter
And said that he was well,
He told me, that he loved me,
No matter where he’d roam—
Oh! I wish this war were over,
And my Johnny would come home.

3. 
The days are long and weary,
The nights are lone and drear,
And oh! I get so lonely
Without my Johnny near.
I’ll try and be contented
And wait for him to come.
Oh! I wish this war was overr,
And my Johnny would come home.

4. 
Oh! won’t we girls be happy
When all the boys are free,
And peace is in the country
Our sweethearts then to see,
Oh! won’t I run to meet him
No more from me to roam,
Oh! I wish this war was over
And my Johnny would come home.