"The March to the Capitol," Poem, undated
The March to the Capitol
Our Mother Massachusetts
Hath Sons of valiant mould—
Bright-eyed and gentle-featured
Strong-limbed and stalwart-souled;
Within her lap she holds them
Her lap of fruitful soil,
And, bosomed on her fragrant hills,
They drink the milk of toil.
And so they way to manliness
By bread of freedom nursed
And so they love, all lands above,
Old Massachusetts first!
One day, through all the nation—
From blue Potomac's stream
To woods of far Aroostook,
There flashed a lightning gleam;
In scrolls of fire electric
The battle word went forth
Like burning brand from hand to hand /
Through all the loyal North!
"The Capitol's in danger"!
So every soul rehearsed
And passed the brand from hand to hand
Old Massachusetts first!
Then out from all the hill-paths,
And up from every wold
The sturdy yeomen mustered
Like minute-men of old:
From all the marts of merchants,
And all the fields of toil:
And left the iron at the forge
The plow-share in the soil:
And down to save the Capitol,
In gallant haste they burst—
From hill and glen, like minute men,
And Massachusetts first!
From old Ticonderoga
And Mohawk's storied gorge,
From Bunker Hill and Monmouth
And Ice-bound Valley Forge; /
As bread and wine, to strengthen souls,
Ye draw from sacred pyx
So drew we from our battlefield
The strength of seventy-six.
And then to save the Capitol
From Treason's power accurst,
With war-like throes, the States arose—
Old Massachusetts first!
The nineteenth day of April
A day remembered well.
The gray-beards and the school boys
Its hallowed legends tell!
How fourscore years and six
Since freedom's snow-white bud
New blossoming then, from heroes' hearts
Grew red with priceless blood!
At Lexington and Concord—
When freedom's flower out-burst,
With fragrance bland, to fill the land,
Old Massachusetts first! /
The nineteenth day of April!
How thrilled our loyal land
When marched the Union Soldiers
O'er Susquehanna's strand;
When Treason's steel was lifted
By dark Patapsco's flood,
And Maryland's Magnolia, white
Grew red with martyrs blood;
The old, old strife of Freedom
With Freedom's foes rehearsed,
Alike the day, alike the fray—
Old Massachusetts first!
All silently, all manfully,
Beside the road we formed;
Around us gathering, wolf-like,
The howling traitors swarmed;
To left and right, still mustering
With swift and fierce attacks,
They taunted us, and spat on us,
And smote us at our backs;
But on we marched, unfaltering,
Nor answered, while they cursed /
With yells of hate, each loyal state—
Old Massachusetts first!
Before us, o'er the pavements,
They trailed the Union flag,
And flaunted in our faces,
Secession's hateful rag.
Oh! Heavens; to brook that insult,
Our blood grew hot, like flame—
And one brave man, with daring hand
Struck down the thing of shame;
And then we grasped our rifles,
And dared them to the worst—
And so we bore through Baltimore
Old Massachusetts first!
From gateways and from house tops
Their iron rain they cast,
With coward shots, from casements,
They pierced us as we passed;
Then sank our youngest comrade—
All torn with cruel scars— /
And raised aloft his bleeding hands
And hailed the Union Stars!
"All hail! the Stars and Stripes" he cried;
And thus his bold heart burst;
And thus we gave our soldiers brave;
Old Massachusetts first!
Our Mother Massachusetts!
She bears no craven sons;
Through heroes and through martyrs
Her life-blood sweetly runs;
And when, from dark Patapsco
The death-news swiftly sped
"Bring back" she said "my loyal ones—
Bear tenderly my dead".
And then with shrouded flags and drums
Our soldiers' arms reversed,
To glory's bed we bore the dead—
Old Massachusetts first! /
On headlands of New England,
The strong Atlantic breaks,
And swiftly stride the whirlwinds,
O'er stormy Northern Lakes;
And grandly roll the rivers
Through Western vales and hills,
But stronger, swifter, grander far,
Is Freedom, when she wills!
And where so'e'r her trumpet
Shall sound with lofty burst,
You'll find in camp, with loyal tramp
Old Massachusetts first!
DATABASE CONTENT
| (14045) | DOT0199.026 | 223 | Other |
Tags: Battle of Fort Sumter, Fighting, History, Militia, Pride, Unionism
People - Records: 1
- (2287) [associated with] ~ Cooke, John Stevens
SOURCES
"The March to the Capitol," Poem, undated, DOT0199.026, Nau Collection
