62. the Northern Volunteers.
by George Boweryem.
We arm by thousands strong,To battle for the Right,
And this shall be our song,
As we march into the fight:
With our country's banner o'er us,
And traitor-ranks before us,
Let Freedom be the chorus
Of the Northern Volunteers!
Now hearken to the cheers
Of the Northern Volunteers!
[Chorus of cheering.]
When the battle rages round,
And the rolling of the drum,
And the trembling of the ground,
Tell usurpers that we come!--
Then the War's deep-mouthed thunder
Shall our lightnings cleave asunder,
And our enemies shall wonder
At the Northern Volunteers!
Shall wonder at the cheers
Of the Northern Volunteers!
True, loyal sons are we
Of men who fought and died
To leave their children free,
Whom dastards now deride!
Tremble, traitors! at the beaming
Of our starry banner gleaming,
When like a torrent streaming,
Come the Northern Volunteers!
Dealing death amid their cheers,
Come the Northern Volunteers!
When Northern men unite,
Heart to heart and hand to hand,
For Freedom's cause to fight,
Shall Wrong the Right withstand?
With our country's banner o'er us,
And rebels base before us,
And Liberty the chorus
Of the Northern Volunteers,--
How terrible the cheers
Of the Northern Volunteers!
Where Freedom's banner waves,
Over land or over sea,
It shall not cover slaves!
They shall touch it and be free! [48]
Tremble, tyrants! at the flashing
Of our arms, when onward dashing,
You shall hear their fetters crashing,
Broke by Northern Volunteers!
And your slaves give back the cheers
Of the Northern Volunteers!
God of Freedom! give Thy might
To the spirits of Thy sons!
To their bayonets in fight!
To the death within their guns!
Make their deeds in battle gory,
Burn and brightly shine in glory,
When the world shall read the story
Of the Northern Volunteers!
And echo back the cheers
Of the Northern Volunteers!
Headquarters British Volunteers, New York, May 18, 1861.
