The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1889-08-03
CATHOLIC NEWS.
MAD ANTHONY'S CHARGE.

fort and held it long
Patriots in vain might storm it--there it stood
so grim and tall:
Piled behind the sulen breastwork lay the
powder and the ball.
1t was in a. time of trouble and our nation
was pressed sore:
Clothed in bloodshed, through the country,
stalked the cruel tyrapt War,
Leaving many mark OF anguish leaving many
bitter trace,
In the pain and in the sorrow On every
anxious face,
Husbands, fathers. SONS and brothers: these
had persisted in the fight.
Battling for their God and country, for our
freedom and the right
But there still were trusty patriots, who were
ye, within the field,
They had shed their blood already, they would
rather die than YIELD
There was one among the soldiers VINO had
longed the fort to gain
He mad never yet been vanquished-braye,
headstrong, Anthony Wayne,
Washington, his chieftsjn. questioned whether
he the fort could take,
And he answered "General, listen. I'd storm
Hell for freedoms sake ~
Twas in summer. and the brOlllng sun was
beating ferceiy down
On the tents pitched in the meadow, the
breastwork huge and brown.
By the ramparts Of the fortress, with his rife at
his side,
Stood the watchtul English picket, and the
distant tents he eyed.
l.. a
clasped in his hand,
Seated on his veteran charger, Gen. Wayne rung
OUT command.
From the huts and tents surrounding. with the
rifle, pistol, sword.
Clust'rin round their dauntlesa leader, came
the ready, anxious horde.
..Fix your bayonets-empty rifles Fire not a
shot today;
BY the steel upon our EnusI1ets we must conquer
in this f1uy,"
With their bayonets fixed and steady, swords
and barrels cleaning bright,
Stood they waiting for the signal--eager to
commence the fight.
Some we're veterans Of the army, they for years
had followed war:
Others were but just recruited. they had never
fought before
Looking at the upturned faces, Wayne cried,
''Let our motto DE,
70 the one who fights for freedom, God VIII
give the victory y
Belcied the cannon s fire and thunder, burst the
shells to left and right;
Through the smoke and din, OF BATTLE. charged
the heroes in their might
And the groans Of dying comrades heard they,
yet they passed them by,
Though Sheir hearts grew faint within them, as
they left them there to die
Suddenly d rifle bullet, whistling from the
British hold,
Struck the general in ihe forehead, handlong
fell the leader bold
From the lips grown pale SO quickly issued
forth feeble moan;
Gu the mill the deadly cannons doomed their
answer to his groan,
With their faces stern and anxious, gathered
round his trusty men;
He, by sturdy arms supported, staggered to his
feet again
SIT is nothing but flesh wound, its no time to
Stony Point must yet be taken. or die to keep
my VOW"
Forward through me Gin OI DattIe, OA bleli
shoulders bore they him,
Each grasping tight his musket, charging
still with glorious vim !!
Though the cannOn5 roared the Louder, ana
the bullets ratified fest,
Not one ever stopped or faltered while their lie
and strength might last.
All: what scenes of death and suffering, and of
ago1izing pain,
Ah what lives to Freedom given, for they died
that size might reign,
Patriots falling from the bullets, left their life
blood warm and red,
On the soil which they had fought for, while
their comrades onward Sped
British checks grew pale with terror. as their
1oeznen nearer came;
They hao raised demon in them, those were
wild VINO once were tame,
Right before the fearfrl cannon, in their fury
charged our men,
Sprung they bravely on the ramparts-back-
ward fellthe tyrants then.
Over all the fallen corpses brave old Anthony
was borne,
With his blood still downward trickling, and
his clothing pierced and tora.
High upon the irampled breastwork we're the |
manged bodies piled;
Now our men were on the redcoats, for despair
had msde them wild.
A few moments fiercest fighting and the bloody
deed was done;
Many patriots We're dying, but the victory was
won,
Though their wounds were gaping, bleeding,
yet they showed they could be free
no the one who fights fer freedom God will
give the victory u
Yes. beside the River Hudson, stands that
fortress there today.
And it's walls are as defiant as when captured
in that fray.
Since the day that it was taken, we have held it
rs our own.
Though old Anthony, who took it. lies beneath
the sod alone.
Honor be to those brave soldiers who gave up
their lives So true,
That the blessed light of freedom might shine
all our country through,
Honor be to that brave general who through