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

Yankee Tars

William Darlington (1782–1863)

The following song was composed by Dr. Darlington, one of the representatives in Congress from Pennsylvania, and sung by him at the dinner given by the delegation from that state, to Commodore Decatur and Captain Stewart, at Washington, on the 8th of January, 1816.

Tune—“Mrs. Casey”

WHENE’ER the tyrants of the main

Assault Columbian seamen,

They’ll find them ready to maintain

The noble name of “freemen.”

Then toast the brave, for they will save

Columbia’s fame from sinking;

The honour’d scars of Yankee tars

Are glorious themes for drinking.

Too long our tars have borne, in peace,

With British domineering:

But now they’ve sworn the trade shall cease—

For vengeance they are steering.
Then toast, &c.

First gallant Hull, he was the lad

Who sail’d a tyrant-hunting;

And swaggering Dacres soon was glad

To strike to “striped bunting.”
Then toast, &c.

Intrepid Jones next boldly sought

The demons of oppression:

With a superior force he fought,

And gave the knaves a threshing.
Then toast, &c.

Then quickly met our nation’s eyes

The noblest sight in nature—

A first-rate frigate, as a prize,

Brought in by brave Decatur.
Then toast, &c.

The veteran Bainbridge next prepared

To wield his country’s thunder:

In quest of foes he boldly steer’d,

And drove the Java under.
Then toast, &c.

And daring Lawrence next parades:

From zone to zone he sought ’em:

One boasting Briton he blockades,

And sends one to the bottom.
Then toast, &c.

Next see our gallant Enterprise!

How nobly ocean rocks her!

There Burrows for his country dies,

But first subdues the Boxer.
Then toast, &c.

With loud applauses next we greet

The glorious news from Erie:

Behold! a powerful British fleet

Submits to gallant Perry.
Then toast, &c.

Then Warrington, his country’s pride,

Sails boldly forth to serve her;

And, quickly humbled by his side,

We see the fierce Epervier.
Then toast, &c.

From noble Blakely’s dauntless force

His vanquish’d foes in vain steer;

For he could stop the Avon’s course,

And overhaul the Reindeer!
Then toast, &c.

M’Donough, hero of Champlain,

Next proved, that British seamen

With Yankee tars contend in vain—

Because those tars are freemen.
Then toast, &c.

With “Ironsides” brave Stewart slips

To sea on her third cruise, sir,

And, tired of flogging single ships,

She drubs them now by twos, sir.
Then toast, &c.

The Penguin next, with her bold crew,

Thought she to strike would scorn it:

She sought a Wasp—but found, in lieu,

Our Biddle and his “Hornet.”
Then toast, &c.

Our Yankee tars to Afric’s shore

Our heroes, lastly, led ’em—

And Turkish banners bow before

The starry flag of Freedom.
Then toast, &c.

Come, push the flowing bowl around,

And in Columbia’s story

Long may such gallant names abound,

To vindicate her glory.
Then toast, &c.

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