New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-08
We stood on the deck together,
Men that had looked on death

And a voice yelled-"Hard ABORT
Hard-a port heres the damned Yankee
Coming right down on u.s.
He sheered but the ships ran foul
With gnarring shudder and growl:
He gave US deadly gun;
But, as h. passed in his pride
| Kasping right alOngside).
The Old Flag, in thunder-tCneS,
Poured in her port brOadside,
Rafting his iron hide.
And cracking his timber bones!
With her bow ali weathered and brown.
The great Lackawana came down
Full tilt. for another blow
We were forging ahead,
She rcversed-but. for all palms.
Rammed the old Hartford, instead,
Just for'ard the mizzen chains.
All how the rnasts did buckle and bend.
And the stout hull ring and reel.
And she took us right end.
Vain We're engine and wheel,
She was under full steam
! With the roar Of thunderstrOke
Her two thousand tons Of oak
Brought ny on US, right abeam.
a wreck. rs il looked. we lay
Qfih and plank shear gave way
To the stroke Of that giant wedSe0
Here. after all go
The old ship is Rone-ah. no,
! But cut TO the waters edge.
I Heading square at the hulk.
Full on his beam we bore:
But the spine of the huge ScaHOg
Lay on the tide like log
He vomited flame more.
Up went the White. An. then
Tn" hurrahs that. once and again,
Rang from three thousand men
All flushed and savage with fight
Our dead lay cold and stark.
iiut cur dying. down ia the dark,
Answered as best they might,
| Lifting their poor lost arms.
And cheering for God and Right.
Ended the mighty noise.
Thunder II forts and ships.
Down we went TO the hold
Oh. our dear dying boys,
! How We pre- sscd their poor brave lips
, CAh. so pdd and coldJ
And held their hands 20 the last
CrhCse that had hands 10 hold)
/ Our ship and her fame to-day
J Shall float on the stored Stream.
, when mast and shroud have crumbled away.
| And her long white deck IS "A dream.
one daring leap in the dark.
J Three mortal hours. at tn most,
And he'll lies stiff and stark
on hundred leagues OF coast.
For the mighty Gulf is ours
The bay IL lost and won
An empire is lost and won,
! Land II thou yet hast flowers.
! Irvine them in one more wreath
or tenderest white and red.
/ Crwn buds Of glory and DEATH
! For the brows Of our brave dead,
For thy Nays noblest son.
The Dabgrens are dumb,
Dumb the mortars
Never more shall the drum
Beat to colOrs and quarters,
The great guns are silent
Oh brav. heart and loyal
lie, all your coIors dip,
Mourn him. proud ship
, From maindcCk 70 royal
God rest our Captain
Rest our lost hundred
Droop flag and pennant.
what is your pride for?
Heaven that h. died for,
Rest our Lieutenant,
Rest our brave threescore,
Oh Mother Land this weary life
We led. lead is long Of thee;
Thine the strong agony of strife,
And thine the lonely sea.
Thine the long decks all slaughter sprent
The weary rows Of cots that lie,
with wrecks Of strong men, narred and rent
Meath Pensacola's sky.
And thine the iron caves and dens
Wherein the flame our war fleet drives,
The fiery vaults whose breath is mems
Most dear ard precious lives.
An ever. when with storm sublime
Dread Nature clears our murky air,
Thus in the crash Of falling crime,
Some lesser guilt must share,
To Day the nahlgrcn and the drum
Are dread Apostles Of His Name,
His Kingdom here can only come
BY chrsm of blood and flame.