Page:Poems Dorr.djvu/84

We did a deal of work that night, though our numbers were but few;
We had all our stores to carry, and our ammunition too;
And the guard-ship—'twas the Nina—set to watch us in the bay,
Never dreamed what we were doing, though 'twas almost light as day.

We spiked the guns we left behind, and cut the flag-staff down,—
From its top should float no colors if it might not hold our own,—
Then we sailed away for Sumter as fast as we could go,
With our good Major Anderson, just fifty years ago.

I never can forget, my boys, how the next day, at noon,
The drums beat and the band played a stirring martial tune,
And silently we gathered round the flag-staff, strong and high,
Forever pointing upward to God's temple in the sky.

Our noble Major Anderson was good as he was brave,
And he knew without His blessing no banner long could wave;
So he knelt, with head uncovered, while the chaplain read a prayer,
And as the last amen was said, the flag rose high in air.

Then our loud huzzas rang out, far and widely o'er the sea!
We shouted for the stars and stripes, the standard of the free!
Every eye was fixed upon it, every heart beat warm and fast,
As with eager lips we promised to defend it to the last!