Anonymous. Evacuation of New York by the British, 1783 (abridged). Hamilton Fish Armstrong, ed. 1917. The Book of New York Verse

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Hamilton Fish Armstrong, ed. The Book of New York Verse. 1917.

Evacuation of New York by the British, 1783 (abridged)

Anonymous

The following song was composed and sung on the ever-memorable 25th of November, 1783, when the conquered Britons evacuated the City of New York, and thereby finally left the thirteen United States in possession of that freedom, prosperity, and independence for which they had so long and so successfully contended.

THEY come!—they come!—the heroes come
With sounding fife, with thundering drum;
Their ranks advance in bright array,—
The heroes of America!

He comes!—’tis mighty Washington,	5
(Words fail to tell all he has done,)
Our hero, guardian, father, friend!
His fame can never, never end.

He comes!—he comes!—our Clinton comes!
Justice her ancient seat resumes:	10
From shore to shore let shouts resound,
For Justice comes, with Freedom crown’d.

She comes!—the angelic virgin—Peace,
And bids stern War his horrors cease;
Oh! blooming virgin with us stay,	15
And bless, oh! bless America!

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