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Home  »  The American National Song-Book  »  Charles Mead

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

American Volunteers

Charles Mead

Air—“Hail to the Chief”

SOUND the loud anthem with accents of glory,

Winds waft to heaven the soul-cheering lay;

Clouds disappear, for the beams of Aurora

Smile forth again upon Freedom’s birth-day.

Union of States, like a bright constellation,

Risen through carnage, commotion and tears;

Valour and virtue, our country’s salvation,

Dwell in the hearts of our brave volunteers.

They guard our happy land,

They equal rights defend,

They lead the nation to glory and fame.

They wave the banners round,

They raise the martial sound,

They fill the land with a joyous acclaim.

Hail to the nation’s triumphant defender,

Jackson we hail as the first in our choice;

He made Britannia’s proud forces surrender,

He made our camps and our councils rejoice.

Liberty’s temple that heroes have founded,

Pride of the nation, in splendour appears;

Noble the structure, by millions surrounded,

Guarded secure by our brave volunteers.

Should dire oppression reign,

They’ll break the galling chain,

They in defence of their birth-rights will rise.

They threw their bullets well,

They’ll make their ballots tell,

Where solid worth and integrity lies.

Nations of earth are with envy beholding

Freedom’s last empire, that lies in the west;

All our resources are daily unfolding,

All our wide regions abundantly blest.

When first was kindled a war’s dire commotion;—

Cities in flames, and our mothers in tears;

Lightnings were hurl’d o’er the land and the ocean,

Armies subdued by the brave volunteers.

They struck the fatal blow,

They laid the Britons low,

On fields their children now culture in peace,

Where a prolific soil,

Yields the reward of toil,

Fairest of fruits and abundant increase.

Heroes departed from heaven’s pavilions,

Look on the land they have left with delight;

Here an asylum is offer’d to millions,

Who leave the realms of oppression and night.

Long as the sun spreads around us his splendour;

Long as a wave on the ocean appears;

Valour be Freedom’s triumphant defender,

Tyrants kept down by the brave volunteers.

Now let the thrilling strain,

Cheer ev’ry hill and plain,

While the bright banners so splendidly fly,

Let festive torrents flow,

Joy cheer the face of woe,

Grateful hosannas ascend to the sky.