Come all, you gallant heroes, along with me combine;
I’ll sing to you a ditty about the Glorious Sixty-Ninth,
They are a band of brothers, from Ireland they came;
They had a bold commander, Michael Corcoran is his name.
On the 22nd of April, these boys they sailed away;
They made a glorious turn-out, a going down broadway,
A going down broadway, my boys, and then unto the cars;
For, they were bound for Washington, straightway unto the wars.
Farewell unto New York! shall I never see it more?
It fills my heart with pity to leave its sylvian shore;
Our President commanded us, and we must hasten o’er,
For to put down Secession, on the Old Virginny shore.
‘Twas that very afternoon the boys sail’d from the shore;
It was our whole intention to go through Baltimore.
And, if attacked there by a mob, we’d show what we could do;
We’d shout them out: FAUGH-A-BALLA! as we did at Waterloo.
But our President commanded us to sail another way;
A steamer hove in sight, and took us South to sea,
It took us, Boys, to Annapolis; we landed on the strand;
We had a joyful time with the boys of Maryland.
They gave us three hearty cheers;—
They greeted us with a smile;—
Saying: Here comes the boys that fear no noise;
They are the Sons of Erin’s Isle!—
It was convenient to the road, where we had pitched our camp
Without feather-bed or bedsted, we laid down in the damp
We laid down in the damp, my boys, as soldiers ought to do,
As did our famed fathers on the plains of Waterloo.
It was early in the morning, before the break of day,
Our Colonel he came to us and thus to us did say;
Arise! my gallant Irishmen, and by your colours stand!
For, we must go to Washington, to put down the rebel band.
When we came to Washington, they called us the DREAD-NORTH!
They marched us by the White-House, review’d by Gen. Scott.
He said unto our President: Now, everything looks gay;
Here comes the FAUGH-A-BALLAS that always clears the way!
Here’s a health to Father Mooney, of honour and renown,
Who did escort our heroes unto the battle-ground!
He said unto our Colonel: Now, we must fight hand to hand,
Until we plant the Stars and Stripes way down in Dixie’s land.
And, when the war is ended, may Heaven spare our lives!
It’s then we will return to our children and our wives!
We’ll embrace them in our arms, and that both night and day,
We hope Secession is played out in all America!
Now, to conclude and finish, I mean to end my song.
Here’s a health to Col Corcoran, and may his life be long!
Here’s a health to Col Corcoran, in battle, land or sea!
Here’s to the Stars and Stripes, and the Boys of the Shamrock green!