| |
| OLD Ross, Cockburn, and Cochrane too, | |
| And many a bloody villain more, | |
| Swore with their bloody savage crew, | |
| That they would plunder Baltimore. | |
| But General Winder being afraid | 5 |
| That his militia would not stand, | |
| He sent away to crave the aid | |
| Of a few true Virginians. | |
| Then up we rose with hearts elate, | |
| To help our suffering sister state. | 10 |
| |
| When first our orders we received, | |
| For to prepare without delay, | |
| Our wives and sweethearts for to leave, | |
| And to the army march away. | |
| Although it grieved our hearts full sore, | 15 |
| To leave our sweet Virginia shore, | |
| We kiss’d our sweethearts o’er and o’er, | |
| And march’d like true Virginians. | |
| Adieu awhile, sweet girls adieu, | |
| With honour we’ll return to you. | 20 |
| |
| With rapid marches on we went, | |
| To leave our sweet Virginia shore, | |
| No halt was made, no time was spent, | |
| Till we arrived at Baltimore. | |
| The Baltimoreans did us greet, | 25 |
| The ladies clapt their lily-white hands, | |
| Exclaiming as we pass’d the street, | |
| Welcome, ye brave Virginians. | |
| May Heaven all your foes confound, | |
| And send you home with laurels crown’d. | 30 |
| |
| We had not been in quarters long, | |
| Before we heard the dread alarms, | |
| The cannon roar’d, the bells did ring, | |
| The drum did beat to arms, to arms. | |
| Then up we rose to face our foes, | 35 |
| Determined to meet them on the strand, | |
| And drive them back from fair Freedom’s shore, | |
| Or die like brave Virginians. | |
| In heaven above we placed our trust, | |
| Well knowing that our cause is just. | 40 |
| |
| Then Ross he landed at North Point, | |
| With seven thousand men or more, | |
| And swore by that time next night, | |
| That he would be in Baltimore. | |
| But Striker met him on the strand, | 45 |
| Attended by a chosen band, | |
| Where he received a fatal shot, | |
| From a brave Pennsylvanian— | |
| Whom Heaven directed to the field, | |
| To make this haughty Briton yield. | 50 |
| |
| Then Cockburn he drew up his fleet, | |
| To bombard Fort McHenry, | |
| A thinking that our men, of course, | |
| Would take affright and run away. | |
| The fort was commanded by a patriotic band, | 55 |
| As ever graced fair freedom’s land, | |
| And he who did the fort command | |
| Was a true blue Virginian. | |
| Long may we have brave Armstead’s name | |
| Recorded on the book of fame. | 60 |
| |
| A day and a night they tried their might, | |
| But found their bombs did not prevail, | |
| And seeing their army put to flight, | |
| They weigh’d their anchor and made sail, | |
| Resolving to return again, | 65 |
| To execute their former plan; | |
| But if they do, they’ll find us still | |
| That we are brave Virginians. | |
| And they shall know before they’ve done, | |
| That they are not in Washington. | 70 |
| |
| But now their shipping’s out of sight, | |
| And each man takes a parting glass, | |
| Drinks to his true love and heart’s delight, | |
| His only joy and bosom friend, | |
| For I might as well drink a health, | 75 |
| For I hate to see good liquor stand, | |
| That America may always boast, | |
| That we are brave Virginians. | |
| |
