Hardtack and coffee

by John Davis Billings

There were words improvised to many of these calls, which I wish I could accurately remember. Those adapted to Réveillé, in some regiments, ran as follows:—

I can’t get ’em up, I can’t get ’em up,

I can’t get ’em up, I tell you.

I can’t get ’em up, I can’t get ’em up,

I can’t get ’em up at all.

The corporal’s worse than the private,

The sergeant’s worse than the corporal,

The lieutenant’s worse than the sergeant,

But the captain’s worst of all.

I can’t get ’em up, I can’t get ’em up,