Songs and Ballads of the Southern People: 1861-1865
History
Songs and Ballads of the Southern People: 1861-1865
American poetry -- Southern States; Southern States -- Poetry; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Poetry; War poetry, American
Sons of freedom, can you linger
When you hear the battle's roar,
Fondly dallying with your pleasures
When the foe is at your door?
Never! no! we fear no idlers,
"Death or freedom"'s now the cry,
'Till the _stars_ and _bars_, triumphant,
Spread their folds to every eye.
_Richmond Whig._
"CALL ALL! CALL ALL!"
BY "GEORGIA."
Whoop! the Doodles have broken loose,
Roaring round like the very deuce!
Lice of Egypt, a hungry pack,--
After 'em, boys, and drive 'em back.
Bull-dog, terrier, cur, and fice,
Back to the beggarly land of ice;
Worry 'em, bite 'em, scratch and tear
Everybody and everywhere.
Old Kentucky is caved from under,
Tennessee is split asunder,
Alabama awaits attack,
And Georgia bristles up her back.
Old John Brown is dead and gone!
Still his spirit is marching on,--
Lantern-jawed, and legs, my boys,
Long as an ape's from Illinois!
Want a weapon? Gather a brick,
Club or cudgel, or stone or stick;
Anything with a blade or butt,
Anything that can cleave or cut.
Anything heavy, or hard, or keen!
Any sort of slaying machine!
Anything with a willing mind,
And the steady arm of a man behind.
Want a weapon? Why, capture one!
Every Doodle has got a gun,
Belt, and bayonet, bright and new;
Kill a Doodle, and capture _two_!
Shoulder to shoulder, son and sire!
All, call all! to the feast of fire!
Mother and maiden, and child and slave,
A common triumph or a single grave.
_Rockingham, Va., Register._
THE ORDERED AWAY.
_Dedicated to the Oglethorpe and Walker Light Infantries._
BY MRS. J. J. JACOBUS.
At the end of each street, a banner we meet,
The people all march in a mass,
But quickly aside, they step back with pride,
To let the brave companies pass.
The streets are dense filled, but the laughter is still'd--
The crowd is all going one way;
Their cheeks are blanched white, but they smile as they light
Lift their hats to the--Ordered away.
They smile while the dart deeply pierces their heart,
But each eye flashes back the war-glance,
As they watch the brave file march up with a smile,
'Neath their flag--with their muskets and lance;
The cannon's loud roar vibrates on the shore,
_But the people are quiet to-day_,
As, startled, they see how fearless and free
March the companies--Ordered away.
Not a quiver or gleam of fear can be seen,
Though they go to meet death in disguise;
For the hot air is filled with poison distilled
'Neath the rays of fair Florida's skies.
Hark! the drum and fife awake to new life
The soldiers who--"Can't get away;"
Who _wish_, as they wave their hats to the brave,
That _they_ were the--Ordered away.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account