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

Hull’s Victory

O’ER the trident of Neptune, Britannia had boasted,

Her flag long triumphantly flew,

Her fleet, undisturb’d, round America coasted,

Till Hull taught the foe what our seamen could do.

Let the trumpet of fame tell the story,

And our tars give to honour and glory.

Hark! hark! how the cannon like thunder does rattle!

Our hero’s quite cool in the uproar of battle.

See the bold Constitution the Guerriere o’ertaking,

While seas from her fury divide,

The all-conquering foe, boys, our thunder is raking—

See! her mizenmast falls in the deep o’er her side.

See! her hull now our bullets are boring,

The blood from her scuppers is pouring!

See! see! she’s aboard—shall we yield, boys?—no never:

We’ll fight for our rights on the ocean forever.

Brave Hull gave the order for boarding, but, wonder,

By the board main and foremast both go;

A lee-gun proclaims she submits to our thunder,

Which drowns the vain boast of our now humble foe;

Huzza now the conquest proclaiming,

Our tars see the Guerriere flaming.

See! see! as she burns sinks the battle’s commotion,

She blows up and scatters her hull on the ocean.

With equal force let Britannia send out her whole navy,

Our seamen in bondage to drag,

Our heroes will send them express to old Davy,

And conquer or die in defence of their flag.

Let the trumpet of Fame tell the story,

And our tars give to honour and glory:

Death! death! they’ll prefer, e’er from danger they sever:

Then glory to Hull and our navy forever.