They come—they come o'er the verdant plain
With flags but not with drum,
By the broad highway and the narrow lane,
They come, they come, they come!
With flags but not with drum,
By the broad highway and the narrow lane,
They come, they come, they come!
They round the base of the mountain tall,
Unnoticed by the foe,
On the southern side of its rugged wall
They stand to strike the blow.
Unnoticed by the foe,
On the southern side of its rugged wall
They stand to strike the blow.
"Advance! my boys," is the clear command
It comes from "Fighting Joe,"
And the men go up to the Rebels' stand,
As only patriots go.
It comes from "Fighting Joe,"
And the men go up to the Rebels' stand,
As only patriots go.
They climb the rocks and the frowning cliffs
Like Sparta's patriotic sons,
And they scale the steep through the friendly rifts
Up to the Rebel guns.
Like Sparta's patriotic sons,
And they scale the steep through the friendly rifts
Up to the Rebel guns.
Then fell a blight like the breath of Hell,
Out of the mountain banks,
With a storm of lead and a Rebel yell
They fell upon our ranks;
Out of the mountain banks,
With a storm of lead and a Rebel yell
They fell upon our ranks;
We drove them back up the mountain walls,
And gave them shot for shot,
Till the air was filled with our shrieking balls
And e'en the winds were hot.
And gave them shot for shot,
Till the air was filled with our shrieking balls
And e'en the winds were hot.
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