Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

William McCarty, comp. The American National Song Book. 1842.

Truxtun’s Victory

COME, all you Yankee sailors, with swords and pikes advance,

’Tis time to try your courage, boys, and humble haughty France.

The sons of France our seas invade,

Destroy our commerce and our trade:

’Tis time the reckoning should be paid

To brave Yankee boys.

On board the Constellation, from Baltimore we came,

We had a bold commander, and Truxtun was his name:

Our ship she mounted forty guns,

And on the main so swiftly runs,

To prove to France Columbia’s sons

Are brave Yankee boys.

We sail’d to the West Indies, in order to annoy

The invaders of our commerce, to burn, sink, and destroy.

Our Constellation shone so bright

The Frenchmen could not bear the sight:

Away they scamper’d, in a fright,

From brave Yankee boys.

’Twas on the ninth of February, at Monserrat we lay,

And there we spied the Insurgent, just at the break of day.

We raised the orange and the blue,

To see if they the signal knew,

The Constellation and her crew

Of brave Yankee boys.

All hands were call’d to quarters, and we pursued the chase,

With well primed-guns, our tompions out, and well spliced the main brace.

Then soon to France we did draw nigh,

Compell’d to fight they were, or fly:

These words were pass’d, “Conquer or die,”

My brave Yankee boys.

Loud our cannons thundered, with peals tremendous roar,

And death upon our bullet’s wings, that drench’d their decks in gore;

The blood did from their scuppers run,

Their chief exclaimed, “We are undone!”

Their flag was struck, the battle won

By brave Yankee boys.

Then to St. Kitts we steered, we brought her safe in port;

The grand salute was fired, and answered from the fort:

Now sitting round the flowing bowl,

With hearty glee, each jovial soul,

Drink, as you fought, without control,

My brave Yankee boys.

Now here’s a health to Truxtun, who did not fear the sight,

And those brave Yankee sailors, who for their country fight:

John Adams in full bumpers toast,

George Washington, Columbia’s boast,

And now to the girls that we love most,

My brave Yankee boys.