From the Rapidan to Gettysburg--
"Hard bread" behind, "sour krout" before--
This friend went with the cavalry
And heard the jarring-cannon roar
In front of Cemetery Hill--
Good heavens! how they did roar!
Then back again, the foe behind,
Back to the "Old Virginia shore"--
Some dead and wounded left--some holes
In flags, the sullen graybacks bore;
This mug had made the great campaign,
And we'd have gone once more!
Alas! we never went again!
The red cross banner, slow but sure,
"Fell back"--we bade to sour krout
(Like the lover of Lenore)
A long, sad, lingering farewell--
To taste its joys no more.
But still we fought, and ate hard bread,
Or starved--good friend, our woes deplore!
And still this faithful friend remained--
Riding behind me as before--
The friend on march, in bivouac,
When others were no more.
How oft we drove the horsemen blue
In Summer bright or Winter frore!
How oft before the Southern charge
Through field and wood the blue-birds tore!
Im "harmonized," but long to hear
The bugles ring once more.
Oh yes! we're all "fraternal" now,
Purged of our sins, we're clean and pure,
Congress will "reconstruct" us soon--
But no gray people on that floor!
I'm harmonized--"so-called"--but long
To see those times once more!
Gay days! the sun was brighter then,
And we were happy, though so poor!
That past comes back as I behold
My shattered friend upon the floor,
My splintered, useless, ruined mug,
From which I'll drink no more.
How many lips I'll love for aye,
While heart and memory endure,
Have touched this broken cup and laughed--
How they did laugh!--in days of yore!
Those days we'd call "a beauteous dream,
If they had been no more!"
Dear comrades, dead this many a day,
I saw you weltering in your gore,
After those days, amid the pines
On the Rappahannock shore!
When the joy of life was much to me
But your warm hearts were more!
Yours was the grand heroic nerve
That laughs amid the storm of war--
Souls that "loved much" your native land,
Who fought and died therefor!
You gave your youth, your brains, your arms,
Your blood--you had no more!