| James and Mary Ford, eds. Every Day in the Year. 1902. | | | | May 17 | | On the Death of General Worth | | By George W. Cutter (d. 1865) |
| | | | General Worth had a fine record all through the Mexican war. Later he commanded in Texas, where he died at San Antonio on May 17, 1849. |
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NOW let the solemn minute gun | |
| Arouse the morning ray, | |
| And only with the setting sun | |
| In echoes die away. | |
| The muffled drum, the wailing fife, | 5 |
| Ah! let them murmur low, | |
| O’er him who was their breath of life, | |
| The solemn notes of woe! | |
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| At Chippewa and Lundy’s Lane, | |
| On Polaklaba’s field, | 10 |
| Around him fell the crimson rain, | |
| The battle-thunder pealed; | |
| But proudly did the soldier gaze | |
| Upon his daring form, | |
| When charging o’er the cannon’s blaze | 15 |
| Amid the sulphur storm. | |
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| Upon the heights of Monterey | |
| Again his flag unrolled, | |
| And when the grape-shot rent away | |
| Its latest starry fold, | 20 |
| His plumed cap above his head | |
| He waved upon the air, | |
| And cheered the gallant troops he led | |
| To glorious victory there. | |
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| But ah! the dreadful seal is broke— | 25 |
| In darkness walks abroad | |
| The pestilence, whose silent stroke | |
| Is like the doom of God! | |
| And the hero by its fell decree | |
| In death is sleeping now, | 30 |
| With the laurel wreath of victory | |
| Still green upon his brow! | | | |
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