From Tragedy to a Classic Christmas Carol: The Story of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “I Heard The Bells”

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Uses Directed. And we continue with our American Stories. Our next story is about the famous Christmas carol, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. The song's been recorded by Harry Belafonte, Johnny Cash, Andy Williams, Johnny Marks, and Frank Sinatra, to name a few. Here to tell the story is Robert Morgan, who's the author of 100 Bible verses that made America, defining moments that shaped our enduring foundation of faith.

Let's take a listen. The famous Longfellow brothers were born and raised in Portland, Maine in the 1800s. Henry Wadsworth was born in 1807 and Samuel in 1819. Henry became a Harvard professor of literature and one of America's greatest writers, authoring works like Paul Revere's Ride.

You know the rest. In the books you have read how the British regulars fired and fled, how the farmers gave them ball for ball from behind each fence and farmyard wall, chasing the redcoats down the lane, then crossing the fields to emerge again under the trees at the turn of the road and only pausing to fire and load. So through the night rode Paul Revere, and so through the night went his cry of alarm to every Middlesex village and farm, a cry of defiance and not of fear, a voice in the darkness, a knock at the door, and a word that shall echo forevermore. For born on the night wind of the past, through all our history to the last, in the hour of darkness and peril and need, the people will waken and listen to hear the hurrying hoop beats of that steed and the midnight message of Paul Revere. There were over 24 different companies that published his works. His writings became immensely popular throughout Europe, and one of his most loyal fans was President Abraham Lincoln. While Henry was publishing his books, dark clouds were gathering over his life and over the United States.

In 1861, his wife tragically died when her dress caught on fire in their home in Cambridge, Massachusetts. That same year, the Civil War broke out, tearing the nation apart. Two years later, during the fiercest days of the conflict, Henry's son Charlie, 17, ran away from home and hopped aboard a train to join the Union Army. Charlie proved a brave soldier and a popular one. He saw action at the Battle of Chancellorsville in 1863, but in early June he contracted typhoid fever and malaria and was sent home to recover. By August, Charlie was well enough to return to the field. On November 27, during the Battle of New Hope Church in Virginia, he was shot through the left shoulder. The bullet nicked his spine and came close to paralyzing him. He was carried into the church and later taken to Washington to recover. Receiving the news on December 1, Henry left immediately for Washington. He found his son well enough to travel and they headed back to Cambridge, arriving there on the 8th.

For weeks, Henry sat by his son's bedside, slowly nursing his boy back to health. On Christmas Day, December 25, 1863, Henry gave vent to his feelings, riding a reflective carol that can only be understood against the backdrop of the war. Two stands is now omitted from most hymnal speak of the cannons thundering in the south and of hatred tearing apart the hearthstones of the continent. The poet feels like dropping his head in despair. The cannon thundered in the south and with a sound, the carols drowned and in despair.

I bowed my head. There is no peace on earth, I said. For hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth. Good will to men. But then he hears the Christmas bells. Their triumphant healing reminds him that God is not dead nor doth he sleep. God lives and peals the bells more loud and deep.

God is not dead nor doth he sleep. The wrong shall fit. The right prevail with peace on earth. Good will to men. The Sunday School children of Longfellow's local church in Boston first sang this song during that year's Christmas celebration. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day reminds us that no matter how deep our pain or sorrow, we are but a breath away from the sweet bells and singing of heaven.

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep. God is not dead nor doth he sleep. The wrong shall fail. The right prevail with peace on earth.

Good will to men. And a terrific job on the production, editing and storytelling by our own Greg Hengler and a special thanks to Robert Morgan who's the author of 100 Bible verses that made America. And what a story he told here.

God is not dead. The story of Longfellow's I Heard the Bells here on Our American Stories. This is Lee Habib, host of Our American Stories. Every day we set out to tell the stories of Americans past and present from small towns to big cities and from all walks of life doing extraordinary things.

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