William McCarty, comp. The American National Song Book. 1842.
A Parody on Walter ScottO
And saw the Constitution good;
Then boldly called to men below,
“To quarters! here’s the Yankee foe.”
Through all the ship was heard the tone
Of whistle shrill by boatswain blown.
The Yankee colours he could ken,
And see the backwood Irishmen;
And banners, too, with stripes and stars,
At the mast-heads appear;
While, glistening through the ropes and spars,
Shine many pike and spear.
To back and guard the gunners’ band,
Lord Dacres’ sailors were at hand,
A hardy race, in Albion bred,
With jackets blue and nightcaps red,
Array’d beneath the banner tall,
That streamed triumphant o’er the Gaul;
Marines, too, shouting in disorder,
Cried, “Noble Lord Dacres! you’ll see how we’ll board her.”
Now every English eye intent
On Yankee stars and stripes was bent;
So near they were, that each might know
A pistol-ball could through him go.
“Come on, my boys,” fierce Dacres cried,
“For soon this flag, Britannia’s pride,
That swept the Dutchmen from the sea,
And made the Gallic squadrons flee,
From that ship’s tallest mast display’d,
Shall show that ours she’s fairly made.
Level your cannon in a row:
A little higher—there—so, so;
Up, boarders, on the deck, and cry,
Dacres for England! win or die!”
Ill would it suit an English ear,
Of such a fight as this to hear;
For desperate was the fight and long,
And either vessel stout and strong.
But now ’tis done; that fatal blow
Has laid the gallant Guerriere low;
She tries to right; ’tis all in vain,
The Guerriere ne’er will fight again;
The lee-gun’s fired, the battle’s o’er,
The Guerriere sinks to rise no more.