He Walked All the Way Home
Homebound Redemption: A Soldier's Journey After the Civil War
Lyrics
In the grim and final hour of the War between the States
In the final hours of the Civil War
He had enough dying, all the grief that he could take
He had experienced enough death and grief
From the Appamattox Courthouse, where the deed was sadly done
Referring to the Appomattox Courthouse where the war concluded sadly
There was no place left for him to go but home
With nowhere else to go, he returns home
He walked all the way home to Southampton County
He walked all the way back to Southampton County
To carry all he owned and try to forget
Carrying his possessions, attempting to forget the past
Wearing sadness like a mantle for the friends he lost in vain
Cloaked in sadness for friends lost in vain
He walked all the way home to start his life again
Returning home to start anew
In the end he knew the reasons but so many had been lost
Understanding the reasons for the war's end, despite many losses
For years to come the fallen would sleep beneath the cross
Fallen soldiers would rest under crosses for years to come
What he held in angry silence, time could never burn away
His silent pain, held in anger, not erased by time
It was just the saddest price he'd ever pay
Paying the saddest price for what he held
He walked all the way home to Southampton County
Walking back to Southampton County again
To carry all he owned and try to forget
Carrying belongings, trying to forget
Wearing sadness like a mantle for the friends he lost in vain
Sadness worn like a mantle for lost friends
He walked all the way home to start his life again
Returning home for a fresh start
When he stopped to take some water at a little roadside place
Stopping for water at a roadside place
A pretty southern widow sadly looked into his face
A widow, touched by his presence, sadly looks at him
As they talked a while his blue eyes seemed to ease her broken heart
In conversation, his blue eyes seem to comfort her broken heart
One day he came back and took her home
He returns later to take her as his wife
He walked all the way home to Southampton County
Walking back to Southampton County once more
To carry all he owned and try to forget
Carrying possessions, trying to forget past sorrows
Wearing sadness like a mantle for the friends he lost in vain
Sadness worn like a mantle for friends lost in vain
He walked all the way home to start his life again
Returning home once again for a new beginning
He walked all the way home to start his life again
Walking back home to start life afresh
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