564
First Stage of the War
[1777
"Therefore prepare for bloody war,
- These kegs must all be routed,
Or surely we despised shall be,
- And British courage doubted."
The royal band, now ready stand
- All rang'd in dread array, sir,
With stomach stout to see it out,
- And make a bloody day, sir.
The cannons roar from shore to shore.
- The small arms make a rattle ;
Since wars began I'm sure no man
- E'er saw so strange a battle.
The rebel dales, the rebel vales,
- With rebel trees surrounded ;
The distant wood, the hills and floods,
- With rebel echos sounded.
The fish below swam to and fro,
- Attack'd from ev'ry quarter ;
Why sure, thought they, the devil's to pay,
- 'Mongst folks above the water.
The kegs, 'tis said, tho' strongly made,
- Of rebel staves and hoops, sir,
Could not oppose their powerful foes,
- The conqu'ring British troops, sir.
From morn to night these men of might
- Display'd amazing courage ;
And when the sun was fairly down,
- Retir'd to sup their porrage.
An hundred men with each a pen,
- Or more upon my word, sir.
It is most true would be too few,
- Their valour to record, sir.
