Little did I know that I would find my 5th great grandfather, Col. Asaph Morse's Revolutionary Song lyrics in time for submission to:
While it is not a mid to late 19th Century poem, it fits every outlined requirement. Here is a transcription of the original posted in Letters From Aunt Helen, Part 5.
Revolutionary Song.
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Composed by Capt. Asaph Morse, an old Veteran of
the Revolution, who was at the capture of Burgoine,
battle of Monmouth, and with Sullivan at the siege of
New Port in Rhode Island. Age 92 years. Groton,
April, 1852. This is a copy from the original print, by
his great grandson, B.S. French, of Susquehanna,
Pa. February, 1896.
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Washington the father of our Country,
Quelled the British riots in this North America.
By the help of his Aids, Greene, Schuyler, Hamilton,
La Fayette, Gates and Putnam too,
Sullivan and Wayne gained the Victory,
At the battle of Brandywine.
John Burgoyne came down across the northern lakes
With 10,000 men to dissolate our happy States,
The 17, of Oct. at Saratoga he was fast in chains,
There he had to remain till the capitulation was made
to ground arms & march to england & there stay,
'Till peace was made with Yankees in N. America.
With brass Canon we have got all,
Fifty six both Great and small,
Covered waggons in great plenty,
Proper harnesses no ways scanty,
Ten thousand stands of Arms,
To prevent all future harms.
Let Brunswick and let Clinton tell,
What noble deeds they have done,
In '78 June the 19, day
On sunday the battle is begun;
Continued until dark expecting to come to it the next day,
But in the night was put to flight,
Left hundreds dead upon the ground for us to enter
And thousands ran away
We had a bold commander he feared not sword or gun
A second Alexander his name was Washington,
He had his troops all formed in martial array
To maintain our charter right in North America,
Go tell the savage nations you'r crueler than they
You fight your own relation in this North America
Throughout our latest struggles boys we still victorious were,
Jackson's deeds at New Orleans bright they appear
His bravery & his virtues every feeling must revere
For its great delight to march & fight as a yankee volunteer.
We trust in Heaven's protection nor fear to win the day,
For we will maintain our charter right in this North America.
The 4, of July on Independence day,
Will crown our deeds with many a loud huzza!
The names of these Veterans are wrote in CAPITALS
which never will decay,
As long as the sun and moon doth shine in this North America.
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B. S. French, Printer, Susquehanna, Pa.
I had ancestors at the Battle of Saratoga, too! This is great stuff.
ReplyDeleteThanks for participating, Debra!
I'm envious of your records and your ancestors. I'm afraid mine were more of the kind that fell through the cracks of history. I enjoyed reading this account from Capt. Morse.
ReplyDelete