A CLOUD possessed the hollow field, | |
| The gathering battle’s smoky shield: | |
| Athwart the gloom the lightning flashed, | |
| And through the cloud some horsemen dashed, | |
| And from the heights the thunder pealed. | 5 |
| |
| Then, at the brief command of Lee, | |
| Moved out that matchless infantry, | |
| With Pickett leading grandly down, | |
| To rush against the roaring crown | |
| Of those dread heights of destiny. | 10 |
| |
| Far heard above the angry guns, | |
| A cry of tumult runs: | |
| The voice that rang through Shiloh’s woods, | |
| And Chickamauga’s solitudes: | |
| The fierce South cheering on her sons. | 15 |
| |
| Ah, how the withering tempest blew | |
| Against the front of Pettigru! | |
| A khams in wind that scorched and singed, | |
| Like that infernal flame that fringed | |
| The British squares at Waterloo! | 20 |
| |
| A thousand fall where Kemper led; | |
| A thousand died where Garnett bled; | |
| In blinding flame and strangling smoke, | |
| The remnant through the batteries broke, | |
| And crossed the works with Armistead. | 25 |
| |
| “Once more in Glory’s van with me!” | |
| Virginia cries to Tennessee: | |
| “We two together, come what may, | |
| Shall stand upon those works to-day!” | |
| The reddest day in history. | 30 |
| |
| Brave Tennessee! Reckless the way, | |
| Virginia heard her comrade say: | |
| “Close round this rent and riddled rag!” | |
| What time she set her battle flag | |
| Amid the guns of Doubleday. | 35 |
| |
| But who shall break the guards that wait | |
| Before the awful face of fate? | |
| The tattered standards of the South | |
| Were shrivelled at the cannon’s mouth, | |
| And all her hopes were desolate. | 40 |
| |
| In vain the Tennesseean set | |
| His breast against the bayonet; | |
| In vain Virginia charged and raged, | |
| A tigress in her wrath uncaged, | |
| Till all the hill was red and wet! | 45 |
| |
| Above the bayonets mixed and crossed, | |
| Men saw a gray gigantic ghost | |
| Receding through the battle cloud, | |
| And heard across the tempest loud | |
| The death-cry of a nation lost! | 50 |
| |
| The brave went down! Without disgrace | |
| They leaped to ruin’s red embrace; | |
| They only heard fame’s thunder wake, | |
| And saw the dazzling sunburst break | |
| In smiles on glory’s bloody face! | 55 |
| |
| They fell who lifted up a hand, | |
| And bade the sun in heaven to stand; | |
| They smote and fell who set the bars | |
| Against the progress of the stars, | |
| And stayed the march of Motherland. | 60 |
| |
| They stood who saw the future come | |
| On through the flight’s delirium; | |
| They smote and stood who held the hope | |
| Of nations on that slippery slope, | |
| Amid the cheers of Christendom! | 65 |
| |
| God lives! He forged the iron will, | |
| That clutched and held that trembling hill! | |
| God lives and reigns! He built and lent | |
| The heights for Freedom’s battlement, | |
| Where floats her flag in triumph still! | 70 |
| |
| Fold up the banners! Smelt the guns! | |
| Love rules. Her gentler purpose runs, | |
| A mighty mother turns in tears, | |
| The pages of her battle years, | |
| Lamenting all her fallen sons! | 75 |
| |
