Southern War Songs: Camp-Fire, Patriotic and Sentimental

by Unknown

OVER THE RIVER.

By Virginia Norfolk.

“Let us cross the river, and rest under the shade of the trees.”—Last words of Stonewall Jackson.

Bravely ye’ve fought, my gallant, gallant men! Bravely ye’ve fought and well! Yon blood-stained field, where your banner floats, Tells how your foemen fell! Ye are recreant none to your knightly vows, And none to your high behest; But the noon sun shines on your burning brows— So, over the river and rest! Chorus.—Over the river the shade trees grow— Over the river we’ll rest! Ye have fought the fight—won the praise that brings Peace to the soldier’s breast! Bravely ye’ve conquered, my gallant Southern men! Ye have won your rights anew! Ye have washed out the stain of traitor blood, With the baptism of the true! Your clanging armor and flashing steel Have told of a deadly fray; But foemen are flying right and left! Ye have had a glorious day! Chorus. Foemen are flying! aye, madly they’ve fled, And Peace waves her snow-white wing! But we mourn the loss of our gallant dead, While the hills with victory ring! One warrior wears his laurel crown,— One sleeps on his plumed crest! While the palm tree waves by the river side, There, soldiers, will we rest! Chorus.

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THE MAN OF THE TWELFTH OF MAY.[11]

By Robert Falligant, Savannah, Ga.

When history tells her story, Of the noble hero band, Who have made the green fields gory, For the life of their native land, How grand will be the picture, Of Georgia’s proud array, As they drove the boasting foeman back, On that glorious twelfth of May, boys, That glorious twelfth of May. Chorus.—Then hurrah! while we rally around The hero of that day! And a nation’s grateful praises crown, The man of the twelfth of May, boys, The man of the twelfth of May. Whose mien is ever proudest, When we hold the foe at bay? Whose war-cry cheers us loudest, As we rush to the bloody fray? ’Tis Gordon’s! Our reliance! Fearless as on the day, When he hurled his grand defiance, In that charge of the twelfth of May, boys, In that charge of the twelfth of May! Chorus. Who can be a coward! What freeman fears to die, When Gordon orders, “Forward!” And the red cross floats on high? Follow his tones inspiring! On! on to the field away! And we’ll see the foe retiring, As they did on the twelfth of May, boys, As they did on the twelfth of May! Chorus. This is no time for sighing! Whate’er our fate may be, ’Tis sweet to think that, dying, We will leave our country free! When the storms of battle pelt her, She’ll defy the tyrants’ sway, And our breasts shall be her shelter, As they were on the twelfth of May, boys, As they were on the twelfth of May! Chorus.

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