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76
THE BATTLE OF GAINES' HILL.
Sweeping into the front we came;
Awhile along the hill-side bent,
Charged through the deep ravine, to claim
Its walls, for none but heroes meant—
God with us, as we went.
Awhile along the hill-side bent,
Charged through the deep ravine, to claim
Its walls, for none but heroes meant—
God with us, as we went.
Then did War's crashing music roll!
Then did the fire of battle-wrath
Rush hot through every loyal soul;
And where we swept, o'er all the path,
Was agony and scath.
Then did the fire of battle-wrath
Rush hot through every loyal soul;
And where we swept, o'er all the path,
Was agony and scath.
The leaden hail smote left and right;
The air was like a furnace red;
The sky was dizzy with the sight;
The sun was reeling overhead:
You could not count our dead.
The air was like a furnace red;
The sky was dizzy with the sight;
The sun was reeling overhead:
You could not count our dead.
We saw their broken columns swerve;
They shook and faltered at the test;
New vigor shot through every nerve,
And hand to hand and breast to breast,
The glorious charge we pressed.
They shook and faltered at the test;
New vigor shot through every nerve,
And hand to hand and breast to breast,
The glorious charge we pressed.
We drove them from the gory banks—
Through forest-aisles their courses urged;
By field and wood their eddying ranks,
Through forest-aisles their courses urged;
By field and wood their eddying ranks,
