’TWAS Friday morn: the train drew near | |
| The city and the shore. | |
| Far through the sunshine, soft and clear, | |
| We saw the dear old flag appear, | |
| And in our hearts arose a cheer | 5 |
| For Baltimore. | |
| |
| Across the broad Patapsco’s wave, | |
| Old Fort McHenry bore | |
| The starry banner of the brave, | |
| As when our fathers went to save, | 10 |
| Or in the trenches find a grave | |
| At Baltimore. | |
| |
| Before us, pillared in the sky, | |
| We saw the statue soar | |
| Of Washington, serene and high:— | 15 |
| Could traitors view that form, nor fly? | |
| Could patriots see, nor gladly die | |
| For Baltimore? | |
| |
| “O city of our country’s song! | |
| By that swift aid we bore | 20 |
| When sorely pressed, receive the throng | |
| Who go to shield our flag from wrong, | |
| And give us welcome, warm and strong, | |
| In Baltimore!” | |
| |
| We had no arms; as friends we came | 25 |
| As brothers evermore, | |
| To rally round one sacred name— | |
| The charter of our power and fame: | |
| We never dreamed of guilt and shame | |
| In Baltimore. | 30 |
| |
| The coward mob upon us fell: | |
| McHenry’s flag they tore: | |
| Surprised, borne backward by the swell, | |
| Beat down with mad, inhuman yell, | |
| Before us yawned, a traitorous hell | 35 |
| In Baltimore! | |
| |
| The streets our soldier-fathers trod | |
| Blushed with their children’s gore: | |
| We saw the craven rulers nod, | |
| And dip in blood the civic rod— | 40 |
| Shall such things be, O righteous God, | |
| In Baltimore? | |
| |
| No, never! By that outrage black, | |
| A solemn oath we swore, | |
| To bring the Keystone’s thousand back, | 45 |
| Strike down the dastards who attack, | |
| And leave a red and fiery track | |
| Through Baltimore! | |
| |
| Bow down, in haste, thy guilty head! | |
| God’s wrath is swift and sore: | 50 |
| The sky with gathering bolts is red— | |
| Cleanse from thy skirts the slaughter shed, | |
| Or make thyself an ashen bed, | |
| O, Baltimore! | |
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