War and Washington
War and Washington was a song written during the American Revolution[1] by Jonathan M. Sewall.[2] To be sung to the tune of The British Grenadiers the verses are:
Vain Britons, boast no longer
With fine indignity,
Your valiant marching legions,
Your matchless strength at sea.
For we, your loyal sons oppressed,
Have girded our swords on.
Huzza! Huzza! Huzza!
For War and Washington!
Additional lyrics are provided at bartleby.com:
Urged on by North and vengeance,
those valiant champions came,
Loud bellowing Tea and Treason,
and George was all on flame,
Yet sacrilegious as it seems,
we rebels still live on,
And laugh at all their empty puffs,
—huzza for Washington!
Still deaf to mild entreaties,
still blind to England’s good,
You have for thirty pieces
betray’d your country’s blood.
Like Esop’s greedy cur
you’ll gain a shadow for your bone,
Yet find us fearful shades indeed,
inspired by Washington.
Mysterious! unexampled!,
incomprehensible!
The blundering schemes of Britain,
their folly, pride, and zeal.
Like lions how ye growl and threat!
mere asses have you shown,
And ye shall share an ass’s fate,
and drudge for Washington!
Your dark, unfathom’d counsels
our weakest heads defeat,
Our children rout your armies,
our boats destroy your fleet,
And to complete the dire disgrace,
coop’d up within a town,
You live, the scorn of all our host,
the slaves of Washington!
Great heaven! is this the nation
whose thundering arms were hurl’d,
Through Europe, Afric, India?
whose navy ruled a world?
The lustre of your former deeds,
whole ages of renown,
Lost in a moment,
or transferred to us and Washington!
Yet think not thirst of glory
unsheaths our vengeful swords,
To rend your bands asunder,
and cast away your cords.
’T is heaven-born freedom fires us all,
and strengthens each brave son,
From him who humbly guides the plough,
to godlike Washington.
For this, Oh could our wishes
your ancient rage inspire,
Your armies should be doubled,
in numbers, force, and fire.
Then might the glorious conflict
prove which best deserved the boon,
America, or Albion;
a George, or Washington!
Fired with the great idea,our fathers’ shades would rise;
To view the stern contention,
the gods desert their skies.
And Wolfe; ’mid hosts of heroes,
superior bending down,
Cry out with eager transport,
God save great Washington!
Should George, too choice of Britons,
to foreign realms apply,
And madly arm half Europe,
yet still we would defy
Turk, Hessian, Jew, and Infidel,
or all those powers in one,
While Adams guides our senate,
our camp great Washington!
Should warlike weapons fail us,
disdaining slavish fears,
To swords we’ll beat our ploughshares,
our pruninghooks to spears,
And rush, all desperate! on our foe,
nor breathe till battle won;
Then shout, and shout America!
and conquering Washington!
Proud France should view with terror,
and haughty Spain revere,
While every warlike nation
would court alliance here.
And George, his minions trembling round,
dismounting from his throne,
Pay homage to America,
and glorious Washington!
References
- ↑ Morison, Samuel Eliot. The Oxford History of the American People, 1965.
- ↑ An American Biographical and Historical Dictionary 2nd edition, 1832 by William Allen