Verse > Anthologies > James and Mary Ford, eds. > Every Day in the Year
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James and Mary Ford, eds.  Every Day in the Year.  1902.
 
July 9
The Song of Braddock’s Men
Old Ballad
 
          Braddock was sent to America to take charge of the army there and to expel the French from their encroachments west of the Allegheny Mountains. He scorned the advice of Americans who were accustomed to border warfare (George Washington among others), and was killed, a victim to his own obstinacy, on July 9, 1755.

TO arms, to arms! my jolly grenadiers!
  Hark how the drums do roll it along!
To horse, to horse, with valiant good cheer;
  We’ll meet our proud foe before it is long.
    Let not your courage fail you;        5
      Be valiant, stout, and bold;
    And it will soon avail you,
      My loyal hearts of gold.
Huzzah, my valiant countrymen! again I say huzzah!
’Tis nobly done,—the day’s our own—huzzah, huzzah!        10
 
March on, march on, brave Braddock leads the foremost;
  The battle is begun as you may fairly see.
Stand firm, be bold, and it will soon be over;
  We’ll soon gain the field from our proud enemy.
    A squadron now appears, my boys;        15
      If that they do but stand!
    Boys, never fear, be sure you mind
      The word of command!
Huzzah, my valiant countrymen! again I say huzzah!
’Tis nobly done,—the day’s our own—huzzah, huzzah!        20
 
See how, see how, they break and fly before us!
  See how they are scattered all over the plain!
Now, now—now, now our country will adore us!
  In peace and in triumph, boys, when we return again!
    Then laurels shall our glory crown        25
      For all our actions told:
    The hills shall echo all around,
      My loyal hearts of gold.
Huzzah, my valiant countrymen! again I say huzzah!
’Tis nobly done,—the day’s our own—huzzah, huzzah!        30
 
 
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