The Riogran

The Drums are loudly beating

And we must march away

General M^cclelan has give orders

no longer here to stay

Hell march us down to new orleans

From there unto the strand

To embark our gallant heroes

Away in Dixie land

 

2

O William dearest William

I long with you to go

Ill dress myself in soldiers clothes

And Ill see mexico

Hand in hand well fight march

Away unto the strand

And we will fight together

Away down Dixies land

 

3

O mary dearest Mary /

I am afraid that cant be so

General M^cclelan has give orders

No woman there shall go

there delicate constitution

cannot stand that unwholesome land

beyond the sandy desert

Away down in Dixies land

 

4

O William Dearest William

you leave me here to mourn

surely ill regret the hour that i was born

O parting with you William

Its like parting with my life

O stay at home dear William

And Ill be your Wife

 

5

O curses unto the Wars

And the hour that they begun

They have robbed us of our sweethearts

And many a gallant man

They have robbed us of our sweethearts

Protectors of the land /

Their blood has stained the tall grass

Away in Dixies land

 

6

The Wars are all over

And we are returning home

unto our lovely sweethearts

that we had left to mourn

Well kiss them we'll hug them

Well take them by the hand

And well walk together

On our own native land

 

Written by a man by the of William l Rees with the intention of presenting it to his true loving wife you must not take it hard that I write this song to you I do not want you to think that I have nothing to write to you but having no letter from you to answer I thought that a little song would be acceptable

SOURCES