Hamilton Fish Armstrong, ed. The Book of New York Verse. 1917.
To the Tenth Legion, New York State Volunteers; 1862Ruth N. Cromwell
M
I saw them as they passed, a thousand men or more;
Their bayonets were gleaming in the sun’s burning light,
For God and their Country, they were marching to the fight,—
Marching along—marching along—
“For God and our Country, we are marching along.”
I but thought of my country, and sublime grew their hymn,
Till my soul echoed back, oh! again and again,
The song of the battle!—the soldiers’ refrain—
Marching along—marching along—
“For God and our Country, we are marching along.”
I have listened to the chime, when fame was the dream;
Not the psalmodies of life, nor the cadences of art,
Were so grand to my ear, or so dear to my heart—
Marching along—marching along—
“For God and our Country, we are marching along.”
For the hearts that are waiting, for the firesides at home—
Loud blew the bugle and they answered in their might,
For God and our Country, we are marching to the fight.
Marching along—marching along—
“For God and our Country, we are marching along.”
Brave were their hearts, and brave was their song.
Oh, I know there are leaves on the old bay-tree,
That are growing for their brows, in the land of the free,—
Marching along—marching along—
“For God and their Country, they were marching along.”