In a barn at Milk Row, Ephraim Bates and Munroe And Baker and Abram and I made a bed. We had mighty sore feet, and we'd nothing to eat; But we'd driven the Red-Coats, and Amos, he said: "It's the first time," says he, "that it's happened to me To march to the sea by this road where we've come; But confound this whole day, but we'd all of us say We'd rather have spent it this way than to home." * * * * * The hunt had begun with the dawn of the sun, And night saw the wolf driven back to his den. And never since then, in the memory of men, Has the Old Bay State seen such a hunting again. EDWARD EVERETT HALE. April 19, 1882. THE KING'S OWN REGULARS AND THEIR TRIUMPH OVER THE IRREGULARS Since you all will have singing, and won't be said nay, I cannot refuse, when you so beg and pray; So I'll sing you a song,--as a body may say, 'Tis of the King's Regulars, who ne'er ran away. _Oh! the old soldiers of the King, and the King's own Regulars._ At Prestonpans we met with some rebels one day, We marshalled ourselves all in comely array; Our hearts were all stout, and bid our legs stay, But our feet were wrong-headed and took us away. At Falkirk we resolved to be braver, And recover some credit by better behavior: We wouldn't acknowledge feet had done us a favor, So feet swore they would stand, but--legs ran however. No troops perform better than we at reviews, We march and we wheel, and whatever you choose, George would see how we fight, and we never refuse, There we all fight with courage--you may see 't in the news. To Monongahela, with fifes and with drums, We marched in fine order, with cannon and bombs; That great expedition cost infinite sums, But a few irregulars cut us all into crumbs. It was not fair to shoot at us from behind trees, If they had stood open, as they ought, before our great guns, we should have beat them with ease, They may fight with one another that way if they please, But it is not _regular_ to stand, and fight with such rascals as these. At Fort George and Oswego, to our great reputation, We show'd our vast skill in fortification; The French fired three guns;--of the fourth they had no occasion; For we gave up those forts, not through fear, but mere persuasion. To Ticonderoga we went in a passion, Swearing to be revenged on the whole French nation; But we soon turned tail, without hesitation, Because they fought behind trees, which is not the _regular_ fashion. Lord Loudon, he was a regular general, they say; With a great regular army he went on his way, Against Louisburg, to make it his prey, But returned--without seeing it,--for he didn't _feel bold_ that day.