I'SE GWINE BACK TO DIXIE - 1874 - Tom Roush

Via Cousin John

This post Civil War song became a minstrel show 'standard.' First published in 1874, this is one of probably little more than 20 American songs composed in the 1870's that remained popular through the next century. American folk music historians have termed the period between 1865 and 1900 as the 'dead zone,' claiming that new and original music had all but ceased to exist. They believe that most 'new' music of the day was simply recycled from the first half of the 1800's.

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Tom Roush

As I understand it, this song was written in response to the many blacks who wanted to return to the South after the war. Many folks in the North hated slavery but still disliked the blacks.