Confederate States of America
"God Save the South"

Words by: George H. Miles
Music by: Charles Wolfgang Amadeus Ellerbrock
In use: 1861-1865

The Confederate States of America (also referred to as "The Confederacy" or simply "The South") had, like the United States at the time, several patriotic songs in use which could have been considered anthems, like "Dixie", "The Bonnie Blue Flag", and "God Save the South", none of which were officially declared (possibly because declaring an official anthem wasn't as important to a new nation then as it is now). "God Save the South" does have more of an anthemaic quality in the music and lyrics, and several publications of the song refer to it as a (or the) "anthem".

"God Save the South" was written by a Marylander (Maryland was actually not one of the states to join the Confederacy) soon after the civil war started, by George H. Miles, though he wrote under the pseudonym Earnest Halphin. The composer also composed the music for Maryland's state song. "God Save the South" was actually the first song to be published in the Confederacy in at least nine editions (lending it more credence as a national anthem)

An interesting thing to note about the song is the reference to George Washington (the first president of the United States) in the song's fifth verse. Apparently, the author of the song meant to tie in Washington's stance as a rebel against the British in the American revolution with the South's rebellion against the northern United States in the civil war.

Special thanks to: Paul Bergeron and Tyler Dykstra for informing me of this anthem.

See also: United States (?-1931).