By GUY HUMPHREY McMASTER.
Intheir ragged regimentalsStood the old Continentals,Yielding not,When the grenadiers were lunging,And like hail fell the plungingCannon shot;When the filesOf the islesFrom the smoky night-encampment bore the banner of the rampantUnicorn,And grummer, grummer, grummer rolled the roll of the drummer,Through the morn!Then with eyes to the front all,And with guns horizontalStood our sires;And the balls whistled deadly,And in streams flashing redlyBlazed the fires;As the roarOn the shore,Swept the strong battle breakers o'er the green sodded acresOf the plain;And louder, louder, louder cracked the black gunpowder,Cracking amain!Now like smiths at their forgesWorked the red Saint George'sCannoneers;And the "villainous saltpetre"Rung a fierce, discordant metreRound their ears;As the swiftStorm drift,With hot, sweeping anger, came the horse guard's clangorOn our flanks.Then higher, higher, higher burned the old-fashioned fireThrough the ranks!Then the old-fashioned colonelGalloped through the white, infernalPowder cloud;And his broad sword was swinging,And his brazen throat was ringingTrumpet loud.Then the blueBullets flewAnd the trooper jackets redden at the touch of the leadenRifle breath;And rounder, rounder, rounder roared the iron six-pounderHurling death!
Intheir ragged regimentalsStood the old Continentals,Yielding not,When the grenadiers were lunging,And like hail fell the plungingCannon shot;When the filesOf the islesFrom the smoky night-encampment bore the banner of the rampantUnicorn,And grummer, grummer, grummer rolled the roll of the drummer,Through the morn!
Then with eyes to the front all,And with guns horizontalStood our sires;And the balls whistled deadly,And in streams flashing redlyBlazed the fires;As the roarOn the shore,Swept the strong battle breakers o'er the green sodded acresOf the plain;And louder, louder, louder cracked the black gunpowder,Cracking amain!
Now like smiths at their forgesWorked the red Saint George'sCannoneers;And the "villainous saltpetre"Rung a fierce, discordant metreRound their ears;As the swiftStorm drift,With hot, sweeping anger, came the horse guard's clangorOn our flanks.Then higher, higher, higher burned the old-fashioned fireThrough the ranks!
Then the old-fashioned colonelGalloped through the white, infernalPowder cloud;And his broad sword was swinging,And his brazen throat was ringingTrumpet loud.Then the blueBullets flewAnd the trooper jackets redden at the touch of the leadenRifle breath;And rounder, rounder, rounder roared the iron six-pounderHurling death!