COME, all you lads of courage bold, | |
A story true as eer was told | |
To your attention Ill unfold, | |
Tis of the Niagara; | |
Of cannons rattling round the shore | 5 |
Of heroes weltering in their gore | |
Of widows, orphans grieving sore, | |
Where grape and ball | |
In showers did fall, | |
And many a valuable tar did fall | 10 |
In the battle of Lake Erie. | |
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September the tenth, full well I ween, | |
In eighteen hundred and thirteen, | |
The weather mild, the sky serene, | |
Commanded by bold Perry. | 15 |
Our saucy fleet at anchor lay, | |
In safety moord at Put-in-bay; | |
Twixt sunrise and the break of day, | |
The British fleet | |
We chanced to meet, | 20 |
Our admiral thought he would them greet | |
With a welcome on Lake Erie. | |
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Our boatswains piped their crews with speed, | |
Of souls who never feard to bleed | |
Or die to see their country freed | 25 |
Of British thraldom weary: | |
Our Yankee boys were wide awake, | |
All eager, for their freedoms sake, | |
To gain the title of the lake, | |
From those base slaves, | 30 |
Who dyed the waves | |
Of ocean with their brothers graves, | |
Of those who fought on Erie. | |
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Twas nearly grog-time of the day, | |
Our fleet bore up and put away, | 35 |
The Lawrence cheerly led the way, | |
Commanded by brave Perry; | |
She first sustaind the dreadful shock, | |
Till useless as a floating log, | |
Each brace and bowling, stay and block, | 40 |
Were shot away, | |
No gun could play, | |
Till all her crew but nine that day | |
Were slain upon Lake Erie. | |
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Brave Elliott sped to our relief, | 45 |
And took on board our gallant chief, | |
Nor did we take a single reef | |
On board the Niagara. | |
The children yet unborn will say, | |
There neer was fought a greater day, | 50 |
On oceans bosom, lake, or sea. | |
Our Yankee shot | |
Were playd so hot, | |
That now a rag those brags have not | |
To hoist upon Lake Erie. | 55 |
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Huzza, my friends! the can, boys, bring; | |
The fight is oer, lets drink and sing; | |
To Madison the toast shall ring, | |
And also Elbridge Gerry. | |
Long live the Congress and our laws, | 60 |
And those who, hearty in the cause, | |
Have lent a hand, without a pause, | |
To crush our foes; | |
Who still oppose | |
Our rights where nations highway flows, | 65 |
As well as on Lake Erie. | |
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The memory of the brave lets toast, | |
Who cleard the long disputed coast, | |
And left us free to rule the roast | |
Of celebrated Erie. | 70 |
Let Perrys name, with loud applause, | |
Be sounded far beyond the stars; | |
For he who rules the fate of wars, | |
This great design, | |
That Power Divine, | 75 |
In agency he did consign | |
To brave and gallant Perry. | |
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