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When I was young, the word was “vineyard,” not “vintage.”

Vintage doesn’t even make any sense, as it means “the wine from a particular harvest or crop.”

One might think of the grapes of wrath as being stored in a vineyard, but how could grapes be stored at a vintage?

BTW, there used to be a Confederate version of “John Brown’s Body.” There were those who asserted that this was the original, supported by the song’s clear link to spirituals, but I believe they have all died and their books have been “cleansed” from library shelves.

All that remains is oral history, passed down the generations, and easily mocked by those who wish to obscure the true lessons of the era.

In all the versions I could find the word is vintage, even when googling original lyrics for the Battle Hymn of the Republic.

http://www.civilwarheritagetrails.org/civil-war-music/battle-hymn-of-the-republic.html

If I’m understanding your objection to the use of the word “vintage” in the Battle Hymn of the Republic correctly, you’re not looking at the entire line in the lyrics.

“He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword:
His truth is marching on.”

This is saying that the Lord has let loose the dogs of war in righteous anger for the sin of slavery. Literally trampling out the vintage is taking action to squeeze the juice out of the grapes, to make wine. The second definition of the word vintage is “relating to or denoting wine of high quality.” Metaphorically then God is taking action, through the Union Army, to smite the forces wishing to perpetuate slavery.

The grapes of wrath have been stored, like a spring compressed and ready to spring, until shots were fired at Fort Sumter. Then God trampled out the wine, or vintage, of retribution which flow terribly like the blood of dead and wounded soldiers. Using the word vineyard would be wholly inappropriate.

As for a “Confederate” version of John Brown’s Body preceding that song, in my view that is unlikely. The tune is taken from Say Brother, Will You Meet Us which arose from Christian camp meetings as early as the 1700s. The definitive origin of the melody is uncertain, and may go back to old negro folk songs. Since the abolitionist movement was lead by devout Christians, and slaves would have sung it, the association makes little sense for confederates to use it unless it was after the fact as a satirical response.