▁published ▁in ▁definit ive ▁written ▁form ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 4 . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁Confeder acy ' s ▁loss ▁to ▁the ▁U . S . ▁in ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War , ▁" I ' m ▁a ▁Good ▁Ol ' ▁Reb el " ▁was ▁created ▁as ▁a ▁poem ▁by ▁former ▁Confeder ate ▁major ▁James ▁In nes ▁Rand olph ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 6 0 s . ▁Its ▁music ▁was ▁based ▁upon ▁the ▁M inst rel ▁song ▁" J oe ▁Bow ers ". ▁It ▁is ▁not ▁known ▁who ▁initially ▁created ▁the ▁music , ▁with ▁a ▁claim ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 4 ▁att rib uting ▁it ▁to ▁" J . R . T ." ▁and ▁an ▁ 1 8 6 6 ▁sheet ▁music ▁copy ▁iron ically ▁dedic ating ▁it ▁to ▁Th ad ▁Stevens . ▁ ▁" I ' m ▁a ▁Good ▁Ol ' ▁Reb el " ▁was ▁first ▁published ▁as ▁a ▁poem ▁locally ▁in ▁Maryland ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 8 ▁but ▁was ▁published ▁as ▁a ▁song ▁nation wide ▁in ▁the ▁April ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁edition ▁of ▁Col lier ' s ▁Week ly . ▁The ▁song ▁is ▁anti - American ▁in ▁tone , ▁express ing ▁hat red ▁towards ▁the ▁U . S . ▁and ▁its ▁national ▁symbols ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Constitution ▁and ▁U . S . ▁Dec laration ▁of ▁Independ ence . ▁It ▁reflected ▁a ▁view ▁held ▁by ▁some ▁ex - Conf eder ates ▁who ▁were ▁rel uct ant ▁to ▁accept