"O my General, I have never
Beat that shameful strain before,
At the touch my drum would wither,
Let me sound the charge once more."
Beat that shameful strain before,
At the touch my drum would wither,
Let me sound the charge once more."
"Who would answer to the summons?"
Then Napoleon hotly said,
"Where are all my boasted legions?
They are scattered, they are dead."
Then Napoleon hotly said,
"Where are all my boasted legions?
They are scattered, they are dead."
"If I call them they will rally,
They are patriots, they are men,
They will come from hill and valley,
Let me call them once again."
They are patriots, they are men,
They will come from hill and valley,
Let me call them once again."
And these words from one so daring,
One so young, yet truly brave,
Put to shame the heart despairing,
And resistless courage gave.
One so young, yet truly brave,
Put to shame the heart despairing,
And resistless courage gave.
"Sound the charge!" the general thundered,
"Let us rally, all who can,"
And the Austrian foemen wondered
At the daring of the man.
"Let us rally, all who can,"
And the Austrian foemen wondered
At the daring of the man.
But the French along the valley
Raised the cry of Bonaparte,
And they rallied to the sally
With new courage and new heart.
Raised the cry of Bonaparte,
And they rallied to the sally
With new courage and new heart.
Victor led them to the breastworks,
Up the banks they saw him climb,
Up the banks they saw him climb,
89
