Upon the vessel's rail, and swore
That e'er the breaking day was o'er
He'd blow the rebel works in air
And float the British ensign there.
Within the town, on roofs and towers,
An anxious throng since early hours
Had eager watched the new made fort
And fearful scanned the ships in port.
All through the morn, with irate will,
The cannon thundered at the hill;
They wreathed the vessels in their smoke
And hard and bitter words they spoke;
But half their shots flew wide the mark
And others sank in sand and rock,
So scarce a dozen men were harmed,
Though long and fierce the frigates stormed.
That e'er the breaking day was o'er
He'd blow the rebel works in air
And float the British ensign there.
Within the town, on roofs and towers,
An anxious throng since early hours
Had eager watched the new made fort
And fearful scanned the ships in port.
All through the morn, with irate will,
The cannon thundered at the hill;
They wreathed the vessels in their smoke
And hard and bitter words they spoke;
But half their shots flew wide the mark
And others sank in sand and rock,
So scarce a dozen men were harmed,
Though long and fierce the frigates stormed.
But when the noon-day sun looked down
Upon the harbor and the town,
He saw a score of loaded boats,
Red with the Britons' crimson coats,
Pulled by the sturdy British oar
Up to the hostile Charlestown shore.
Upon the harbor and the town,
He saw a score of loaded boats,
Red with the Britons' crimson coats,
Pulled by the sturdy British oar
Up to the hostile Charlestown shore.
They formed their men in solid ranks.
And slow advanced upon the banks
Where cowering low, the rebels lay,
In doubt and fear, an easy prey;
And slow advanced upon the banks
Where cowering low, the rebels lay,
In doubt and fear, an easy prey;
93
