Excelsior then the foremost stood,
Not knowing dread nor fear,
And met the rebels in the woods,
With a loud and hearty cheer.
Volley after volley flew,
Like hail the balls did fly,
And Hooker cried: "My heroes true,
We'll conquer or we'll die."
Our ammunition being gone,
Brave Hooker then did say:
"Reënforcements fast are coming on,
My lads, do not give way.
Keep good your ground, our only chance
Is t' remain upon the field.
And if the rebels dare advance,
We'll meet them with the steel."
'Twas then brave Kearny did appear,
Who ne'er to foe would yield,
To him we gave a hearty cheer,
As he rushed on the field.
"Now, charge! my lads," then Hooker cried,
"Our work will soon be done,
For with brave Kearny by our side,
The rebels we'll make run."
And since that time we all do know
The battles he hath won;
He beat the rebels at Bristow,
And chased them to Bull Run;
And had we a few more loyal men
Like the gallant fighting "Joe,"
The war would soon be at an end,
Then home we all would go.
Singing, hurrah, hurrah, for Hooker's boys,
The gallant Fighting Joe,
We'll follow him with heart and hand,
Wherever he does go.
James Stevenson.
The advance continued slowly, and on May 31, 1862, a portion of the army reached Fair Oaks. Here the Confederates attacked with force, and would have won a decisive victory but for the timely arrival of dashing "Phil" Kearny, who rallied the Union forces, led them forward, and swept the Confederates from the field.
KEARNY AT SEVEN PINES
[May 31, 1862]
So that soldierly legend is still on its journey,—
That story of Kearny who knew not to yield!
'Twas the day when with Jameson, fierce Berry, and Birney,
Against twenty thousand he rallied the field.
Where the red volleys poured, where the clamor rose highest,
Where the dead lay in clumps through the dwarf oak and pine,
Where the aim from the thicket was surest and nighest,—
No charge like Phil Kearny's along the whole line.