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[May 4 to December 21, 1864] 1
OUR camp-fires shone bright on the mountains | |
| That frowned on the river below, | |
| While we stood by our guns in the morning | |
| And eagerly watched for the foe, | |
| When a rider came out of the darkness | 5 |
| That hung over the mountain and tree, | |
| And shouted, “Boys, up and be ready! | |
| For Sherman will march to the sea.” | |
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| Then cheer upon cheer for bold Sherman | |
| Went up from each valley and glen, | 10 |
| And the bugles re-echoed the music | |
| That came from the lips of the men; | |
| For we knew that the stars in our banner | |
| More bright in their splendor would be, | |
| And that blessings from Northland would greet us | 15 |
| When Sherman marched down to the sea. | |
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| Then forward, boys, forward to battle, | |
| We marched on our wearisome way, | |
| We stormed the wild hills of Resaca; | |
| God bless those who fell on that day! | 20 |
| Then Kenesaw, dark in its glory, | |
| Frowned down on the flag of the free, | |
| But the East and the West bore our standards, | |
| And Sherman marched on to the sea. | |
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| Still onward we pressed, till our banners | 25 |
| Swept out from Atlanta’s grim walls, | |
| And the blood of the patriot dampened | |
| The soil where the traitor flag falls; | |
| Yet we paused not to weep for the fallen, | |
| Who slept by each river and tree; | 30 |
| We twined them a wreath of the laurel | |
| As Sherman marched down to the sea. | |
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| Oh! proud was our army that morning, | |
| That stood where the pine darkly towers, | |
| When Sherman said: “Boys, you are weary; | 35 |
| This day fair Savannah is ours!” | |
| Then sang we a song for our chieftain, | |
| That echoed o’er river and lea, | |
| And the stars in our banner shone brighter | |
| When Sherman marched down to the sea. | 40 |
