Fire Away!

28

THE SONG OF RINGOLD'S ARTILLERISTS.

TUNE -- "Campbells are Coming."

The Mexican bandits
Have crossed to our shore;
Our soil has been dyed
With our countrymen's gore.
The murderers' triumph,
Was theirs for a day --
Our triumph is coming --
So fire -- fire away!

Be steady -- be steady --
And firm every hand --
Pour your shot like a storm
On the murderous band.
On their flanks, on their centre,
Our batteries play --
And we sweep them like chaff,
As we fire -- fire away!

Lo! the smoke-wreaths uprising,
The belching flames tear
Wide gaps through the curtain,
Revealing despair.
Torn flutters their banner --
No oriflamme gay:
They are wavering -- sinking --
So fire -- fire away!

29

'Tis over -- the thunders
Have died on the gale --
Of the wounded and vanquished
Hark! hark to the wail!
Long the foreign invader
Shall morn for the day,
When Ringold was summoned
To fire -- fire away!