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

The Ocean Hero

Tune—“The Star-spangled Banner”

WAKE, sons of Columbia! wake gratitude’s lay,

And sing of great Stewart, our bold ocean hero,

Who led forth our tars to break tyranny’s sway,

And drove from our coast every plundering Nero.

In youth’s early hour

The seas he did scour,

And fought with Decatur ’gainst Tripoli’s power;

He taught them that freemen their life-blood will drain,

Their trade to protect and their rights to maintain.

When the barks of proud Britain came over the main,

To plunder our ships and impress our bold seamen,

’Twas he roused our navy and steer’d forth again,

And dealt to our foemen the vengeance of freemen.

O, he humbled their pride

By his tough “Ironsides,”

And he lower’d Levant and Cyane with the tide.

Then long life to Stewart, and long may he stand,

The pride of our navy, the chief of our land.