"The grave old bard, who never dies,
Receive him in our English tongue;
I send thee, but with weeping eyes,
The story that he sung."
1861, April 12, 4:30 (in the morning)
An epic struggles first shots fired
Fort Sumter shelled for 34 hours
An assault relentless and inspired
The Union flag was at last torn down
Independence seemed for the taking
Glorious victories abounded at first
And left the Yankee soldiers shaking
[Bridge:]
Olden muskets versus modern rifles
A rural nation against industrial force
Glorious exploits for honour and pride
In one of the most renowned of wars
[Chorus:]
An admirable fight against all odds
A defiant struggle to save their land
A brave stance against a superior foe
Forever inspirational the rebel stand
The brilliance of Lee seen at Bull Run
Then Stonewall's iron Valley campaign
Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville
The men in grey left their foe in pain
A decisive victory was not achieved
The war dragged on four long years
Superior numbers started to count
Confidence began to turn to fears
[Bridge]
[Chorus]
Finally at Appomatox it came to end
After so many a cruel and bloody battle
Ultimately the Union was preserved
In spite of the rebels' noble mettle
The dust now settled a nation in ruins
And after effects do persist 'til this day
But never will by history be forgotten
The heroic feats of the men in grey
[Bridge]
[Chorus]
"The widow's moan, the orphan's wail,
Come round thee, yet in truth be strong:
Eternal right, though all else fail,
Can never be made wrong."
[Music and lyrics are by Orlok except quotations by Philip Stanhope Worsley. Philip Stanhope Worsley was a nineteenth-century English poet. The quotations here are taken from a poem that he wrote for Robert E. Lee upon presenting Lee with a copy of his English translation of the Iliad.]