A Yankee Volunteer.I thought I’d better come to town,I brought along my gun, sir;We guessed quite likely there’d be work,Or praps there might be fun, sir;I heerd wild geese was plenty, now,A comin’ from the south’ard,And thought I’d like a shot at some—If you ain’t too much bothered.My father sends his duty, sir;He says that things is growin’,And wants to know what he can doT’ help the men that’s goin’.Mother, she looks kind o’ scared,But fixed my things to come, sir;She didn’t want me, jest, to start,Nor jest to stay at home, sir.There’s brother Jim, he’s fierce to fight,“Too young, boy,” says the jury;(Jim’s seventeen) so he gets madAnd works away like fury.He’s nigh about as tall as I,That’s six foot and a quarter,(Han’t measured lately, but I guessI can’t ha’ grown much shorter.)Now, what d’ye spose Jerusha said,With her black eyes a snappin’?She’s jest my second cousin, sir,One seldom caught a nappin’.She said if she could see a manA fightin’ for the flag, sir,That she would give her new silk gownAnd call it but a rag, sir.I’d meant before to come, for sure,But that was jest a clincher;I never was a soldier, yit,But might be at a pinch, sir.I’ll try—and if my lamp goes outAfore their shot and brag, sir,Jest tell Jerusha how I diedA fightin’ for the flag, sir.
I thought I’d better come to town,I brought along my gun, sir;We guessed quite likely there’d be work,Or praps there might be fun, sir;I heerd wild geese was plenty, now,A comin’ from the south’ard,And thought I’d like a shot at some—If you ain’t too much bothered.My father sends his duty, sir;He says that things is growin’,And wants to know what he can doT’ help the men that’s goin’.Mother, she looks kind o’ scared,But fixed my things to come, sir;She didn’t want me, jest, to start,Nor jest to stay at home, sir.There’s brother Jim, he’s fierce to fight,“Too young, boy,” says the jury;(Jim’s seventeen) so he gets madAnd works away like fury.He’s nigh about as tall as I,That’s six foot and a quarter,(Han’t measured lately, but I guessI can’t ha’ grown much shorter.)Now, what d’ye spose Jerusha said,With her black eyes a snappin’?She’s jest my second cousin, sir,One seldom caught a nappin’.She said if she could see a manA fightin’ for the flag, sir,That she would give her new silk gownAnd call it but a rag, sir.I’d meant before to come, for sure,But that was jest a clincher;I never was a soldier, yit,But might be at a pinch, sir.I’ll try—and if my lamp goes outAfore their shot and brag, sir,Jest tell Jerusha how I diedA fightin’ for the flag, sir.
I thought I’d better come to town,I brought along my gun, sir;We guessed quite likely there’d be work,Or praps there might be fun, sir;I heerd wild geese was plenty, now,A comin’ from the south’ard,And thought I’d like a shot at some—If you ain’t too much bothered.My father sends his duty, sir;He says that things is growin’,And wants to know what he can doT’ help the men that’s goin’.Mother, she looks kind o’ scared,But fixed my things to come, sir;She didn’t want me, jest, to start,Nor jest to stay at home, sir.There’s brother Jim, he’s fierce to fight,“Too young, boy,” says the jury;(Jim’s seventeen) so he gets madAnd works away like fury.He’s nigh about as tall as I,That’s six foot and a quarter,(Han’t measured lately, but I guessI can’t ha’ grown much shorter.)Now, what d’ye spose Jerusha said,With her black eyes a snappin’?She’s jest my second cousin, sir,One seldom caught a nappin’.She said if she could see a manA fightin’ for the flag, sir,That she would give her new silk gownAnd call it but a rag, sir.I’d meant before to come, for sure,But that was jest a clincher;I never was a soldier, yit,But might be at a pinch, sir.I’ll try—and if my lamp goes outAfore their shot and brag, sir,Jest tell Jerusha how I diedA fightin’ for the flag, sir.
I thought I’d better come to town,I brought along my gun, sir;We guessed quite likely there’d be work,Or praps there might be fun, sir;I heerd wild geese was plenty, now,A comin’ from the south’ard,And thought I’d like a shot at some—If you ain’t too much bothered.
I thought I’d better come to town,
I brought along my gun, sir;
We guessed quite likely there’d be work,
Or praps there might be fun, sir;
I heerd wild geese was plenty, now,
A comin’ from the south’ard,
And thought I’d like a shot at some—
If you ain’t too much bothered.
My father sends his duty, sir;He says that things is growin’,And wants to know what he can doT’ help the men that’s goin’.Mother, she looks kind o’ scared,But fixed my things to come, sir;She didn’t want me, jest, to start,Nor jest to stay at home, sir.
My father sends his duty, sir;
He says that things is growin’,
And wants to know what he can do
T’ help the men that’s goin’.
Mother, she looks kind o’ scared,
But fixed my things to come, sir;
She didn’t want me, jest, to start,
Nor jest to stay at home, sir.
There’s brother Jim, he’s fierce to fight,“Too young, boy,” says the jury;(Jim’s seventeen) so he gets madAnd works away like fury.He’s nigh about as tall as I,That’s six foot and a quarter,(Han’t measured lately, but I guessI can’t ha’ grown much shorter.)
There’s brother Jim, he’s fierce to fight,
“Too young, boy,” says the jury;
(Jim’s seventeen) so he gets mad
And works away like fury.
He’s nigh about as tall as I,
That’s six foot and a quarter,
(Han’t measured lately, but I guess
I can’t ha’ grown much shorter.)
Now, what d’ye spose Jerusha said,With her black eyes a snappin’?She’s jest my second cousin, sir,One seldom caught a nappin’.She said if she could see a manA fightin’ for the flag, sir,That she would give her new silk gownAnd call it but a rag, sir.
Now, what d’ye spose Jerusha said,
With her black eyes a snappin’?
She’s jest my second cousin, sir,
One seldom caught a nappin’.
She said if she could see a man
A fightin’ for the flag, sir,
That she would give her new silk gown
And call it but a rag, sir.
I’d meant before to come, for sure,But that was jest a clincher;I never was a soldier, yit,But might be at a pinch, sir.I’ll try—and if my lamp goes outAfore their shot and brag, sir,Jest tell Jerusha how I diedA fightin’ for the flag, sir.
I’d meant before to come, for sure,
But that was jest a clincher;
I never was a soldier, yit,
But might be at a pinch, sir.
I’ll try—and if my lamp goes out
Afore their shot and brag, sir,
Jest tell Jerusha how I died
A fightin’ for the flag, sir.