Victoria! with us is God;
There lies the haughty foe!
He falls, for righteous is our God;
Victoria! he lies low.
'T is true our father[14] is no more,
Yet hero-like be went,
And now the conquering host looks o'er
From high and starry tent.
The noble man, he led the way
For God and Fatherland,
And scarce was his old head so gray
As valiant his hand.
With fire of youth and hero-craft
A banner snatching, he
Held it aloft upon its shaft
For all of us to see;
And said,—"My children, now attack,—
Take each redoubt and gun!"
And swifter than the lightning track
We followed, every one.
Alas, the flag that led the strife
Falls with him ere we win!
It was a glorious end of life:
O fortunate Schwerin!
And when thy Frederic saw thee low,
From out his sobbing breath
His orders hurled us on the foe
In vengeance for thy death.
Thou, Henry,[15] wert a soldier true,
Thou foughtest royally!
From deed to deed our glances flew,
Thou lion-youth, with thee!
A Prussian heart with valor quick,
Right Christian was his mood:
Red grew his sword, and flowing thick
His steps with Pandourt[16]-blood.
Full seven earth-works did we clear,
The bear-skins broke and fled;
Then, Frederic, went thy grenadier
High over heaps of dead: