Now the broad field as untaught warriors shade, The sun's glad beam their shining arms display'd; High waved great Washington his glittering steel, Bade the long train in circling order wheel; And, while the banner'd youths around him prest, With voice revered he thus the ranks addrest: Ye generous bands, behold the task to save, Or yield whole nations to an instant grave. See hosted myriads crowding to your shore, Hear from all ports their vollied thunders roar; From Boston heights their bloody standards play, O'er long Champlain they lead their northern way, Virginian banks behold their streamers glide, And hostile navies load each southern tide. Beneath their steps your towns in ashes lie, Your inland empires feast their greedy eye; Soon shall your fields to lordly parks be turn'd, Your children butcher'd and your villas burn'd; While following millions, thro the reign of time. Who claim their birth in this indulgent clime, Bend the weak knee, to servile toils consigned, And sloth and slavery still degrade mankind. Rise then to war, to timely vengeance rise, Ere the gray sire, the helpless infant dies; Look thro the world, see endless years descend, What realms, what ages on your arms depend! Reverse the fate, avenge the insulted sky, Move to the work; we conquer or we die.
So spoke Columbia's chief; his guiding hand Points out their march to every ardent band, Assigns to each brave leader, as they claim, His test of valor and his task of fame. With his young host Montgomery first moves forth, To crush the vast invasion of the north; O'er streams and lakes their flags far onward play, Navies and forts surrendering mark their way; Rocks, fens and deserts thwart the paths they go, And hills before them lose their crags in snow. Loud Laurence, clogg'd with ice, indignant feels Their sleet-clad oars, choked helms and crusted keels; They buffet long his tides; when rise in sight Quebec's dread walls, and Wolfe's unclouded height Already there a few brave patriots stood, Worn down with toil, by famine half subdued; Untrench'd before the town, they dare oppose Their fielded cohorts to the forted foes. Ah gallant troop! deprived of half the praise That deeds like yours in other times repays, Since your prime chief (the favorite erst of fame) Hath sunk so deep his hateful, hideous name, That every honest Muse with horror flings The name unsounded from her sacred strings; Else what high tones of rapture must have told The first great action of a chief so bold! Twas his, twas yours, to brave unusual storms, To tame rude nature in her drearest forms; Foodless and guideless, thro that waste of earth, You march'd long months; and, sore reduced by dearth, Reach'd the proud capital, too feeble far To tempt unaided such a task of war; Till now Montgomery's host, with hopes elate, Joins your scant powers, to try the test of fate.