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William McCarty, comp. The American National Song Book. 1842.

Freedom—1813

Tune—“Rule Britannia”

UNVEIL’D mid Nature’s glorious birth,

Thy spirit, Freedom, soar’d sublime;

Sail’d o’er the regions of the earth,

And pointed to this infant clime.

Thy spirit shall the magnet be

That guides thy sons to victory.

Now o’er the broad Atlantic wave

Behold Columbia’s star arise!

Warm’d by its beam, the gallant brave

A mighty foe in arms defies.

That star the unerring guide shall be

That leads her sons to victory.

These o’er Britannia’s warlike name

Her glorious banner proudly spread;

And Britons, first in naval fame,

Beneath her valour nobly bled.

Her star that o’er the contest glow’d,

The lustre of a nation show’d.

Now, foremost mid the battle’s blaze,

Loudly her heroes’ arms resound:

Unawed by numbers, there they raise

Her gallant fleet, with glory crown’d.

While light can guide, and valour shield,

Columbia to no power shall yield.

Though small her force, o’er ocean wide

The terror of her name ascends;

While, dauntless, through the whelming tide

The hero’s zeal her cause defends.

His deeds shall make the world proclaim

The glory of Columbia’s name.

There, while destruction round him flies,

No perils can his soul affright;

Bold as his hopes, his efforts rise,

His country is his guiding light

Her safety turns his steps to war,

Her freedom is his leading star.

For this, we saw thy gallant form,

Brave Lawrence, court the raging wave;

Flash, like a sunbeam, through the storm,

And grasp, in death, the warrior’s grave.

Thy star, Columbia, sunk in gloom,

And long shall glimmer on his tomb.

Yet thou, bright shade! enroll’d in light,

Art near, to warm the warrior’s soul;

And many a hero through the fight,

Now hails thee in the cannon’s roll.

Thy spirit shall his angel be

To guide his arms to victory.

Columbia! fairest plant of heaven,

Thou land of hope, with plenty bless’d!

Thy blooming plains, by Nature given,

No foe nor stranger shall molest:

For bold thy sons shall ever be

To guard thy rights o’er land and sea.

Thy conquests, on the roll of Fame,

Shall long in bright succession lie,

While Glory stamps the hero’s name,

And waves the conquering flag on high.

Thy star with time shall brighter shine,

And give to Fame a ray divine.

Then once again shall Peace resume

Her olive-leaf and blooming crest;

Her smile extend through Nature’s gloom,

And pierce the cloud that veils her breast.

Then hail, Columbia’s star divine,

For peace and victory shall be thine.