69. the Major and his men.
In Charleston Bay Fort Sumter stood,Begirt by traitor guns,
Its garrison just seventy--
Columbia's bravest sons.
“I'll have that fort,” quoth Beauregard,
“Or else may I be curst!”
“But then,” says Major Anderson,
“You'll have to fight me first!”
chorus — Cheer, boys, cheer!
And pass the bowl again;
Till time shall end, we'll ne'er forget
The Major and his Men.
The traitors built their batt'ries round,
And thousands counted they;
But Sumter with its seventy
Still held them all at bay!
“Surrender now,” says Beauregard;
“I'll have you in a trap.”
“Not yet,” says gallant Anderson,
“My fuss-and-feather chap!”
chorus — Cheer, boys, cheer!
The traitors in their den
Could not with all their guns appall
The Major and his Men.
To Sumter, straight from Washington,
A secret message came:
“Till we make sure the Capital,
Hold Sumter all the same.
If traitors fire, return their fire,
Until the fleet you see;
Then leave the fort, brave Anderson,
And bring thy men with thee.”
chorus — Cheer, boys, cheer!
The ball was opened then,
And traitors were outwitted by
The Major and his Men.
One day the rebel batteries,
That numbered near a score,
Commenced to fire at Sumter's walls
With an infernal roar.
The Major and his seventy,
By numbers undismayed,
The rebels' iron compliments
With shot and shell repaid!
chorus — Cheer, boys, cheer!
We shall not see again
Such pluck as that which gave to fame
The Major and his Men.
For forty hours that gallant band
Held Sumter from the foe,
And gaily their columbiads
Dealt ruin high and low;
But when the fleet from Uncle Sam
Made signals fair in sight,
That Washington was safe enough,
The Major stopped the fight.
chorus — Cheer, boys, cheer!
And pass the glass again;
The “trick” that time was taken by
The Major and his Men.
The Major left the battered fort,
A crumbling, empty pen,
And ere the rebels can repair,
We'll have it back again!
Their harbor is blockaded now,
And Anderson is here,
With sword still girded by his side,
And stranger still to fear!
chorus — Cheer, boys, cheer!
We'll have it back again!
And who shall be our comrades but
The Major and his Men?
--N. Y. Sunday Atlas, May 12,
