| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). An American Anthology, 1787–1900. 1900. |
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| 811. The General’s Death |
| | | By Joseph O’Connor |
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| THE GENERAL dashed along the road | |
| Amid the pelting rain; | |
| How joyously his bold face glowed | |
| To hear our cheers’ refrain! | |
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| His blue blouse flapped in wind and wet, | 5 |
| His boots were splashed with mire, | |
| But round his lips a smile was set, | |
| And in his eyes a fire. | |
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| A laughing word, a gesture kind,— | |
| We did not ask for more, | 10 |
| With thirty weary miles behind, | |
| A weary fight before. | |
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| The gun grew light to every man, | |
| The crossed belts ceased their stress, | |
| As onward to the column’s van | 15 |
| We watched our leader press. | |
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| Within an hour we saw him lie, | |
| A bullet in his brain, | |
| His manly face turned to the sky, | |
| And beaten by the rain. | 20 |
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