WHEN SHERMAN MARCHED DOWN TO THE SEA

by Samuel Hawkins Marshall Byers
Tune: "Old Rosin the Beau"


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
  That hung over mountain and tree,
And shouted: "Boys, up and be ready!
   For Sherman will march to the sea!"

Then cheer upon cheer for bold Sherman
   Went up from each valley and glen,
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
   While Sherman marched down to the sea.

Then forward, boys! forward to battle!
    We marched on our perilous way,
And we stormed the wild hills of Resaca--
   God bless those who fell on that day!
Then Kennesaw, dark in its glory,
   Frowned down  on the flag of the free,
But the East and the West bore our standards
   When Sherman marched down to the sea.

Still onward we pressed till our banners
   Swept out from Atlanta's grim walls,
And the blood of the patriot dampened
   The soil where the traitor flag falls.
We paused not to weep for the fallen,
   Who sleep by each river and tree,
But we twined them a wreath of the laurel,
   And Sherman marched on to the sea.

Oh, proud was our army that morning,
   That stood where the pine darkly towers,
When Sherman said, "Boys, you are weary,
   But to-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.

Songs of the Union