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39. true-hearted, brave, and Patriotic Girls of the Monumental City.

Written by A Confederate Prisoner Whilst in Baltimore.
Daughters of the sunny South,
     Where freedom loves to dwell,
How rare your charms, how sweet your smiles,
     No mortal lips can tell;
Your native hills, the rippling rills,
     The echo wild and free,
Declare you born to hate and scorn
     All Northern tyranny.

Girls whose smiles are all reserved,
     The Southern youth to bless;
Whose hearts are kept for those who fight
     For freedom's happiness.
Your spirits bold so now unfold
     What you would willingly do,
Where Yankee spirit, the tyrant's might,
     Not wield against you.

For you your loving brothers rush
     To overthrow the invader's might--
On martial field the sword they wield,
     And Yankee cowards smite.
May heaven bless, with bright success,
     Each glorious Southern son;
Be this your prayer, O maidens fair!
     And our freedom will be won.

Southern girls, on this we've sworn,
     The South must — shall be free--
No Northern shackles will be worn,
     To them we'll bow no knee;
From hill to hill, exultant, shrill,
     Our battle-cry rings forth:
Freedom or death on every breath,
     And hatred to the North.

Cease not to smile, brave Southern girls,
     On all our efforts to be free--
Whilst life remains, we'll struggle on,
     Till all the world shall see
That those who fight for home and right
     Can never be enslaved;
Their blood may stain the battle-plain;
     Our country must be saved.1

1

The above poem (though rudely composed) is a verbatim copy of a poem written by one of the Confederate prisoners captured at Winchester — and who was imprisoned in the Baltimore City Jail — while on their way North. Our secesh ladies thronged the jail-yard for the entire two days of their stay, and while there, the above was thrown to them, with a note. What the note contained I am not able to say, but can assure you as to the origination of the above.

Yours, with respect,

Henry J. Howard. Baltimore, March, 1862.

Van Nostrand. New York, New York. 1862.

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