Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-08-29
ARMY VERSES.


We used to have in the ranks fell
lows that had about them something OF
the poetic instinct, who would put
the story of this or that event into
verse, get it printed and then either
give copies to their friends, or sell
them; and these friends would send
them to the folks at home. One may
to this day run now and then across
bit of such crude verse. 1t cannot
be called poetry, yet some of it had
in it some of the elements Of poetry
In the following verses one of our
rhyming fighters tells with consider
able life the story of the
Campaign of the Carolinas.
Sherman, with his boys in blue,
Started from Port Royal
To scOur the old palmetto state,
The first that proved disloyal.
We soon did run against some rebs,
Who looked upon our figures
And found it was the yanks had come,
Instead of Fosters niggers.
The Johnnies saw our boys advance,
And quickly spiked their guns, sir,
Then picking up their haversacks
They started on a run, sir;
stop, Johnnies!" cried the boys in
blue,
We've come to pay our bills, SIR
Then every man did point his gun
And give them Yankee pills, sir.
The third division, General Force,
Did brayely lead the van, SIR
If any boys can. scare the rebs,
They are the ones that can, sir.
The Johnnies saw wlo were behind
l tell you what is so, SIR
And ran like rats into their hole,
Fort Pocotalgio, sir.
We captured the Savannah road,
We burnt the ties and rails, sir,
And consequently played the deuce
With all the rebel mails, sir.
Sherman's men were never whipped
They knew the use of triggers;
They took this fort that for two years
Had beat old Fosters niggers.
The swamps and rivers they were
bridged
By yanks where they did go, SIR
But where that Sherman was to strike
The Johnnnies did not know, sir.
Some said Augusta was the place,
And Branchville he would try, sir,
But none of them could see so we'll
AS Sherman's practiced eye, sir.
The rebs at Salkehatchie creek
To stop us did their best, sir,
But General Mower and his men
Did wade up to their waist sir;
They charged the rebels through the
swamp
In spite of their big guns, sir,
The Johnnies did get up and dust
Sure this was yankee fun, sir.
The railroad to Augusta town,
The place of shot and shell, sir,
At Midway we did visit it,
The Boys said, Give lifts, sir! -
We placed the rails upon the ties,
And heated them red hot, sir,
Then twisted them around the trees
And left them there to rot, sir.
At Orangeburg we next did find
The rebels strongly posted,
They said they'd drive the Yankees
back.
Of this they strongly boosted;
But Sherman sent bold Force around
With his brave third division
The Johnnies sent parting shot,
Then left their strong position.
On the Branchville and the Camden
road
! Tie Yanks did vent their spleen, sir,
And such time of twisting rails
Was never till then seen, sir,
We made them into curling tongs-
1t was in bad repair, sir,
The BranchvilIe and the Camden road
When left by General Blair, sir.
Columbia, that rebel nest
Which first did breed secession
We soon did hoist the stripes and
stars
And have in our possession;
We trampled on the rebel flag,
And thought it was in reason
To burn the town right to the ground
To pay them for their treason.
The southern ladies they did feed
Their turkeys, geese and chickens
For Yankee soldiers, and we found
Them most delicious pickin's;
And Sherman said, MY boys in blue
May eat the eggs and ham, sir,
For everything that they can find
Belongs to Uncle Sam, sir"
The Columbia and Charlotte road
For miles We then did tear, sir,
And when the Johnnies saw the wreck
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