| |
| CHILL was the breeze,—nor yet the herald light | |
| Had chased the lingering shadows of the night; | |
| O’er still expanse of lake, and marshy bed, | |
| Gloomy and dense the mantling vapors spread:— | |
| But soon the battle-flash that darkness broke, | 5 |
| And soon, that dread repose, the peal awoke | |
| Of loud artillery, and the dire alarms | |
| Of mingling conflict, and the clash of arms. | |
| Fate gave the word!—and now, by veterans led, | |
| In pride of chivalry, to conquest bred, | 10 |
| The foe advanced—entrenched, the champion band | |
| Of Freemen stood, the bulwark of the land; | |
| Fearless their stars unfurl’d, and, as the rock, | |
| Storm-proof, they stood, impervious to the shock: | |
| Their patriot Chief, with patriot ardor fired— | 15 |
| Nerved every hand, and every heart inspired; | |
| Himself, in peril’s trying hour, a host, | |
| A nation’s rescue, and a nation’s boast;— | |
| Empower’d alike to govern, or to save, | |
| To guide a people, or their sword to wave. | 20 |
| As near the bastion’d wall th’ Invader drew, | |
| A storm of iron hail to greet him flew; | |
| On havoc’s wing the mission’d vengeance rode, | |
| And whole platoons the scythe of ruin mow’d; | |
| Through paths of blood, o’er undistinguish’d slain, | 25 |
| Unyoked, the hungry war-dogs scour’d the plain; | |
| Borne on the blast, the scattering besom kept | |
| Its course, and ranks on ranks promiscuous swept;— | |
| The trophied Lion fell,—while o’er his foes | |
| Unscathed, in arms supreme, the towering Eagle rose.— | 30 |
| Sublime in majesty,—matchless in might— | |
| Columbia stood, unshaken in the fight: | |
| From lips of adamant, ’midst volumed smoke | |
| And cataracts of fire, her thunders spoke | |
| In triumph to the skies; from shore to shore, | 35 |
| Old Mississippi shook, and echoed to the roar. | |
| High on his sceptred perch, our mountain bird, | |
| Amidst the din the shout of Victory heard— | |
| Exulting heard, and from his eyry came | |
| Through rolling war-clouds, and through sheets of flame; | 40 |
| Renown’s immortal meed he bore, and spread | |
| His ample pinions o’er the conqueror’s head— | |
| The Hero of the West—to him assign’d | |
| The glorious palm, and round his brows the guerdon twined. | |
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