Beauregard at Manassas

by Mary Bayard Devereux Clarke

Beauregard

at

Manassas.

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Now glory to the Lord of Hosts, oh, bless and praise His name,
That hath battled in our cause, and brought out foes to shame;
And honor to our Beauregard, who conquered in His might,
And for our children’s children, won Manassas’ bloody fight.
Oh, let our thankful prayers ascend, our joyous praise resound,
For God, the god of victory, our untried flag hath crowned,

They brought a mighty army to crush us with a blow,
And in their pride they laughed to scorn the men they did not know;
Fair women came to triumph with the heroes of the day,
When the boasting Southern Rebels should be scattered in dismay;
And for their conquering Generals lordly feasts were spread;
But the wine in which we pledged them was all of ruby red.

The feast was like Belshazzar’s—in terror and dismay—
Before our conquering heroes their Generals ran away;
God hath weighed them in the balance, and his hand upon the wall
At the taking of Fort Sumter, hath foredoomed them in their fall;
But they would not heed the warning; and scoffed in unbelief,
Till their scorn was turned to wailing, and their laughter into grief.

All day the fight was raging, and amid the cannon’s peal,
Rang the crack of our rifles, and the clashing of our steel;
But once our spirits faltered, Bee and Bartow both were down,
And our gallant Col. Hampton lay wounded on the ground;
But Beauregard—God bless him! led the legion in his stead,
And Johnston seized the colors, and waved them o’er his head;
E’en a coward must have followed, when such heroes led the way,
And no dastard blood was flowing in Southern veins that day.

Every arm was strengthened and every heart was stirred,
When shouts of Davis! Davis! along our lines were heard;
As he rode into the battle, the joyous news flew fast;
And the dying raised their voices and cheered him as he passed;
Oh! with such glorious leaders in Cabinet and in field,
The gallant Southern chivalry will die, but never yield!