Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1865-10-20
2oetry. . {
The Blue Coat.

The following ballad Is from the pen Of BishoI
Burgess of Maine, end was contributed By hin 4
the book published sud sold At the Sanitary Fail
held 10 Baltimore:
THE BLUE COAT Of TIE SOLDIERS
You asked me, little ono. Why bowed.
Though never passed the man bsfore'
Because my heart was full and proud
When saw the old blue coat he wore:
The blue great coat, the sky blue coat,
The old blue coat the soldier wore.
I knew not, I. what weapon. be chose.
What chief he followed, what badge be bore;
Enough that in tho front Of foes
The blue great coat, the sky y.bluc coat,
The old blue coat the soldier wore.
Perhaps he was born in forest hut,
Perhaps he had danced on . palace floor;
To want wealth my eyes were shut,
l only marked the coat he wore:
The blue great csst. the sky -blae coat,
The old blue coat the soldier woic.
It mattcred not much il he drew his limo
From Shcm or Ham n the days Of ycre;
For surely he was other Of mine
Who, for my sake, the war coat wore:
The blue great coat the sky-blue coat,
The old blue coat the soldier wore.
He might have no skill to read or write,
Or he might be rich in learned lore;
But I knew he could make his mark in fight,
And nobler gown no scholar wore
Than the blue great coat. the SIX =. blue coal
The old blue coat the soldier wore,
1t may be he could plund = and prow',
|. And perhaps in his mood he scofed and sworo
But l would not guess spot so foul
On the honOred coat he bravcly wore:
The blue great coat. the sky-bluo coat,
The old Lluc coat the soldier wore.
lie had worn it long an borne it far,
And perhaps, on the led i'ginan shore
From midnig ght chill till the morning star
That warm great coat the sentry wore:
The blue great coat, the sky blue colt,
Tne Old blue coat. the soldier wore.
When 'rdy Butler reined his steed
Through the streets of proud, proud Baltimore
Perhaps behind him at his need
Marched he who Wonder blue coat wore:
The llue great coat. tae sky blue coat,
The old blue coat the soldier wore.
Perhaps it was seen in Burnside's ranks,
When Rappahannock ran dark with gore,
Perhaps on the mountain side with Banks,
In the bnrning sun no more he wore
The blue great coat, the sky blue coat,
The old blue coat the sol lier wore.
Pcrhap, in the .wamps was bed for his form,
From the seven days battling and marching sore
Or Win hearney anu rope, mtu tue steeiy etoiiu
As the night closed in that coat he wore
The blue great coat. the sky blue coat,
The Id b ue coat the soldier wore.
Or when right over US Jackson dashed,
That collar or cape some bullet tore,
Or when, far ahead, Antietam flushed,
lie flung TO the ground the coat he wore:
The blue great coat, the sky blue coat.
The old blue coat the soldier
Or stood at Gettysburg, whore the graves
Rang deep to Howards cannon roar,
Or saw with tirant the unclaimed waves,
Where c",querilg hosts the blue coat wore:
The blue great coaf, the sky-blue coat,
The old b uc coat the soldier wore.
That garb Of honor tells enough,
Thou h its s."ry guess no more,
The heart it covers is made Of such stuff
That the coat is mail the soldier wore:
Tie blue great ceat, the ky blue coat,
The old blue coat the soldier wore.
lie may hang it up when the Peace shall come.
IND the moths may find it behind the door,
But his children will point when they hear druu
To the proud Old coat their father wore:
The blue great coat. the sky blue coat,
Tue old blue Coat the soldier wore.
And So my child, will you and I,
For whose fair home their blood they pour,
Still bow the head as one goes by
Who wears the coat the soldier wore;
The blue great coat, the sky blue coat,
Tn. old blue coat the soldier weIe.