By Paul H. Hayne.

Like the roar of the wintry surges on a wild tempestuous strand,
The voice of the madden’d millions comes up from an outraged land;
For the cup of our woe runs over, and the day of our grace is past,
And Mercy has fled to the Angels, and Hatred is King at last!
Chorus.—Then up with the Sable Banner!
Let it thrill to the War God’s breath,
For we march to the watchword—Vengeance!
And we follow the Captain—Death!
In the gloom of the gory breaches, on the ramparts wrapt in flame,
’Mid the ruin’d homesteads, blacken’d by a hundred deeds of shame;
Wheresoever the vandals rally, and the bands of the alien meet,
We will crush the heads of the hydra with the stamp of our armed feet.
They have taught us a fearful lesson! ’tis burn’d on our hearts in fire,
And the souls of a host of heroes leap with a fierce desire;
And we swear by all that is sacred, and we swear by all that is pure,
That the crafty and cruel dastards shall ravage our homes no more.
We will roll the billows of battle back, back on the braggart foe,
’Till his leaguer’d and stricken cities shall quake with a coward’s throe;
They shall compass the awful meaning of the conflict their lust begun,
When the Northland rings with wailing, and the grand old cause hath won.[8]

BANKS’ SKEDADDLE.

You know the Federal General Banks,
Who came through Louisiana with his forty thousand Yanks;
His object was to execute the Abolition law,
With as mongrel a horde of soldiers as creation ever saw;
There were Irish and English, and Spanish and Dutch,
And negroes and Yankees, and many more such,
All dress’d out in blue coats and fine filagree—
But such a skedaddle you never did see!
Chorus.—Doodle, doodle, Yankee doodle, doodle, dee,
O such a skedaddle you never did see!

They came prepared to shear our sheep and gather in our crops,
And thus destroy the government by knocking down its props;
They’d rob us of our wheat and wool, our poultry and such things,
And steal the ladies’ jewelry, their dresses and their rings;
They had scythe-blades and whiskey, and sheep shears and hams,
And threshes and jack-knives, and jellies and jams,
O glorious their object—a nation to free!
But such a skedaddle you never did see!
The veterans of Vicksburg, who never had been whipped,
All swore that not a leaflet of their laurels should be clipped;
They wanted to see Texas, and the famous Texas boys,
Who thro’ the whole Confederacy were making such a noise;
They had banners and mottoes, and trumpets and drums,
And small arms and cannon, and round shot and bombs,
Their most famous column, the “Feds” did agree—
But such a skedaddle you never did see!
How first they saw the Texans and heard the Texan yell—
But whether men or devils they declare they could not tell,
They faced about, at “double quick,” and run with all their might,
For they had seen the “elephant,” and did not like the sight;
They left baggage and Enfields, and knapsacks and shoes,
And pickles and blankets, and negroes and stews,
And broke for the river as fast as might be—
But such a skedaddle you never did see!
Helter, skelter, neck or nothing, driven by their fears,
From ev’ry side the Texan yell was ringing in their ears!
Still on they rush’d, like quarter-horses, shouting as they ran,
“The Rebels take the hindmost—now save himself who can!”
They had gunboats and transports, and all sorts of crafts,
They were all clad in iron, with guns fore and aft,
In these they expected in safety to flee—
But such a skedaddle you never did see!

AWAKE! TO ARMS IN TEXAS!

Air—“Dixie.”

Hear ye not the sound of battle,
Sabre clash and musket rattle?
Awake, awake, awake in Texas!
Hostile footsteps on your border;
Hostile columns tread in order;
Awake, awake, awake in Texas!
Chorus.—O, fly to arms in Texas! to arms! to arms!
From Texas land we’ll rout the band
That comes to conquer Texas—
Awake, awake, and rout the foe from Texas.
See the red smoke hanging o’er us;
Hear the cannon’s booming chorus;
Awake, awake, awake in Texas!
See our steady columns forming;
Hear the shouting—hear the storming,
Awake, awake, awake in Texas!
Chorus.

All the Northmen’s forces coming;
Hark! the distant rapid drumming:
Awake, awake, awake in Texas!
Prouder ranks than theirs were driven,
When our Mexic ties were riven;
Awake, awake, awake in Texas.
Chorus.
Gird your loins, with sword and sabre;
Give your lives to freedom’s labor;
Awake, awake, awake in Texas!
What though ev’ry heart be sadden’d—
What though all the land be redden’d—
Awake, awake, awake in Texas!
Chorus.
Shall this boasting, mad invader,
Trample Texas and degrade her?
Awake, awake, awake in Texas!
By our fathers’ proud example,
Texas soil they shall not trample;
Awake, awake, awake in Texas!
Chorus.
Texans! meet them on the border;
Charge them into wild disorder;
Awake, awake, awake in Texas!
Hew the vandals down before you,
Till the last inch they restore you;
Awake, awake, awake in Texas!
Chorus.

Through the echoing hills resounding,
Hear the Texan bugles sounding;
Awake, awake, awake in Texas!
Arouse from ev’ry hill and valley;
List the bugle! Rally! rally!
Awake, awake, awake in Texas!
Chorus.