Tralara! Tralara! Now praise we the Lord For the clang of His call and the flash of His sword! Tralara! Tralara! Now forward to die; For the banner, hurrah! and for sweethearts, good-by! “Four hundred wild lads!” Maybe so. I’ll be bound ’Twill be easy to count us, face up, on the ground. If we hold the road open, tho’ Death take the toll, We’ll be missed on parade when the States call the roll— When the flags meet in peace and the guns are at rest, And fair Freedom is singing Sweet Home in the West. THE BATTLE OF TRENTON (Dec. 26, 1776.) ANONYMOUS AND CONTEMPORARY On Christmas-day in seventy-six, Our ragged troops with bayonets fixed, For Trenton march away. The Delaware see! the boats below! The light obscured by hail and snow! But no signs of dismay. Our object was the Hessian band, That dared invade fair freedom’s land, And quarter in that place. Great Washington he led us on, Whose streaming flag, in storm or sun, Had never known disgrace. In silent march we passed the night, Each soldier panting for the fight, Though quite benumbed with frost. Greene, on the left, at six began, The right was led by Sullivan, Who ne’er a moment lost. The pickets stormed, the alarm was spread, The rebels risen from the dead Were marching into town. Some scampered here, some scampered there, And some for action did prepare; But soon their arms laid down. Twelve hundred servile miscreants, With all their colors, guns, and tents, Were trophies of the day. The frolic o’er, the bright canteen In center, front, and rear was seen Driving fatigue away. Now brothers of the patriot bands, Let’s sing deliverance from the hands Of arbitrary sway, And as our life is but a span, Let’s touch the tankard while we can, In memory of that day. COLUMBIA BY TIMOTHY DWIGHT (Written during the author’s services as an army chaplain, 1777-78.) Columbia, Columbia, to glory arise, The queen of the world, and the child of the skies; Thy genius commands thee; with rapture behold, While ages on ages thy splendor unfold! Thy reign is the last, and the noblest of time, Most fruitful thy soil, most inviting thy clime; Let the crimes of the East ne’er encrimson thy name, Be freedom, and science, and virtue thy fame. To conquest and slaughter let Europe aspire; Whelm nations in blood, and wrap cities in fire; Thy heroes the rights of mankind shall defend, And triumph pursue them, and glory attend; A world is thy realm: for a world be thy laws, Enlarged as thine empire, and just as thy cause; On Freedom’s broad basis, that empire shall rise, Extend with the main, and dissolve with the skies.