| James and Mary Ford, eds. Every Day in the Year. 1902. | | | | June 3 | | The Men of the Merrimac | | By Clinton Scollard (1860–1932) |
| | | Hail to Hobson! hail to Hobson! hail to all the valiant set! | |
| Clausen, Kelly, Deignan, Phillips, Murphy, Montagu, Charette! | |
| Howsoe’er we laud and laurel we shall be their debtors yet! | |
| Shame upon us, shame upon us, should the nation e’er forget! | |
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| Though the tale be worn with telling, let the daring deed be sung! | 5 |
| Surely never brighter valor, since this wheeling world was young, | |
| Thrilled men’s souls to more than wonder, till praise leaped from every tongue! | |
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| Trapped at last the Spanish sea-fox in the hill-locked harbor lay; | |
| Spake the Admiral from his flagship, rocking off the hidden bay, | |
| “We must close yon open portal lest he slip by night away!” | 10 |
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| “Volunteers!” the signal lifted; rippling through the fleet it ran; | |
| Was there ever deadlier venture? was there ever bolder plan? | |
| Yet the gallant sailors answered, answered wellnigh to a man! | |
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| Ere the dawn’s first rose-flush kindled, swiftly sped the chosen eight | |
| Toward the batteries grimly frowning o’er the harbor’s narrow gate; | 15 |
| Sooth, he holds his life but lightly who thus gives the dare to Fate! | |
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| They had passed the outer portal where the guns grinned, tier o’er tier, | |
| When portentous Morro thundered, and Socapa echoed clear, | |
| And Estrella joined a chorus pandemoniac to hear. | |
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| Heroes without hands to waver, heroes without hearts to quail, | 20 |
| There they sank the bulky collier ’mid the hurtling Spanish hail; | |
| Long shall float our starry banner if such lads beneath it sail! | |
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| Hail to Hobson! hail to Hobson! hail to all the valiant set! | |
| Clausen, Kelly, Deignan, Phillips, Murphy, Montagu, Charette! | |
| Howsoe’er we laud and laurel we shall be their debtors yet! | 25 |
| Shame upon us, shame upon us, should the nation e’er forget! | | | | |
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