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SIN

LYON.

BY HENRY PETERSON.

ING, bird, on green Missouri's plain,
Thy saddest song of sorrow;

Drop tears, O clouds, in gentlest rain
Ye from the winds can borrow;
Breathe out, ye winds, your softest sigh,
Weep, flowers, in dewy splendor,
For him who knew well how to die,
But never to surrender!

Up rose serene the August sun
Upon that day of glory;

Up curled from musket and from gun
The war-cloud gray and hoary.
It gathered like a funeral pall

Now broken and now blended,
Where rang the bugle's angry call,
And rank with rank contended.

Four thousand men, as brave and true
As e'er went forth in daring,
Upon the foe that morning threw

The strength of their despairing.
They feared not death-men bless the field
That patriot soldiers die on-

Fair Freedom's cause was sword and shield, And at their head was Lyon!

The leader's troubled soul looked forth
From eyes of troubled brightness;
Sad soul! the burden of the North
Had pressed out all its lightness.
He gazed upon the unequal fight,
His ranks all rent and gory,

And felt the shadows close like night
Round his career of glory.

'General, come lead us !" loud the cry From a brave band was ringing— "Lead us, and we will stop, or die, That battery's awful singing.” He spurred to where his heroes stood, Twice wounded-no wound knowing

The fire of battle in his blood

And on his forehead glowing.

Oh, cursed for aye that traitor's hand,
And cursed that aim so deadly,
Which smote the bravest of the land,
And dyed his bosom redly!
Serene he lay, while past him prest
The battle's furious billow,
As calmly as a babe may rest
Upon its mother's pillow.

So Lyon died! and well may flowers
His place of burial cover,

For never had this land of ours
A more devoted lover.

Living, his country was his pride,
His life he gave her dying;
Life, fortune, love-he naught denied
To her and to her sighing.

Rest, patriot, in thy hillside grave,
Beside her form who bore thee!
Long may the land thou didst to save
Her bannered stars wave o'er thee!
Upon her history's brightest page,
And on Fame's glowing portal,
She 'll write thy grand, heroic rage
And grave thy name immortal.

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Avenge the patriotic gore

That flecked the streets of Baltimore,

And be the battle queen of yore,

Maryland, my Maryland!

Hark to an exiled son's appeal,

Maryland!

My Mother State, to thee I kneel,

Maryland!

For life or death, for woe or weal,

Thy peerless chivalry reveal,

And gird thy beauteous limbs with steel, Maryland, my Maryland!

Thou wilt not cower in the dust,

Maryland!

Thy beaming sword shall never rust, Maryland!

Remember Carroll's sacred trust, Remember Howard's warlike thrust, And all thy slumberers with the just, Maryland, my Maryland!

Come! 'tis the red dawn of the day,
Maryland!

Come with thy panoplied array.

Maryland!

With Ringgold's spirit for the fray, With Watson's blood at Monterey, With fearless Lowe and dashing May, Maryland, my Maryland!

Dear Mother, burst the tyrant's chain, Maryland!

Virginia should not call in vain,

Maryland!

She meets her sisters on the plain, "Sic semper!" 't is the proud refrain That baffles minions back amain,

Maryland!

Arise in majesty again,

Maryland, my Maryland!

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