Songs of Action

by Arthur Conan Doyle

Prince Eugène of Austria is in the market-place;
Prince Eugène of Austria has smiles upon his face;
Says he, ‘Our work is done,
For the Citadel is won,
And the black and yellow flag flies o’er Cremona.’

Major Dan O’Mahony is in the barrack square,
And just six hundred Irish lads are waiting for him there;
Says he, ‘Come in your shirt,
And you won’t take any hurt,
For the morning air is pleasant in Cremona.’

Major Dan O’Mahony is at the barrack gate,
And just six hundred Irish lads will neither stay nor wait;
There’s Dillon and there’s Burke,
And there’ll be some bloody work
Ere the Kaiserlics shall boast they hold Cremona.

Major Dan O’Mahony has reached the river fort,
And just six hundred Irish lads are joining in the sport;
‘Come, take a hand!’ says he,
‘And if you will stand by me,
Then it’s glory to the man who takes Cremona!’

Prince Eugène of Austria has frowns upon his face,
And loud he calls his Galloper of Irish blood and race:
‘MacDonnell, ride, I pray,
To your countrymen, and say
That only they are left in all Cremona!’

MacDonnell he has reined his mare beside the river dyke,
And he has tied the parley flag upon a sergeant’s pike;
Six companies were there
From Limerick and Clare,
The last of all the guardians of Cremona.

‘Now, Major Dan O’Mahony, give up the river gate,
Or, Major Dan O’Mahony, you’ll find it is too late;
For when I gallop back
’Tis the signal for attack,
And no quarter for the Irish in Cremona!’

And Major Dan he laughed: ‘Faith, if what you say be true,
And if they will not come until they hear again from you,
Then there will be no attack,
For you’re never going back,
And we’ll keep you snug and safely in Cremona.’

All the weary day the German stormers came,
All the weary day they were faced by fire and flame,
They have filled the ditch with dead,
And the river’s running red;
But they cannot win the gateway of Cremona.

All the weary day, again, again, again,
The horsemen of Duprés and the footmen of Lorraine,
Taafe and Herberstein,
And the riders of the Rhine;
It’s a mighty price they’re paying for Cremona.