Furl that banner; true 'tis gory, But 'tis wreathed around with glory, And 'twill live in song and story, Though its folds are in the dust; For its fame, on brightest pages-- Sung by poets, penned by sages-- Shall go sounding down to ages-- Furl its folds though now we must.
Furl that banner--softly, slowly; Furl it gently, it is holy, For it droops above the dead. Touch it not, unfurl it never, Let it droop there, furled forever, For its people's hopes are fled.
Gallant nation, foiled by numbers, Say not that your hopes are fled; Keep that glorious flag which slumbers, One day to avenge your dead.
Keep it till your children take it, Once again to hail and make it All their sires have bled and fought for, All their noble hearts have sought for, Bled and fought for all alone. All alone! aye, shame the story, Millions here deplore the stain, Shame, alas! for England's glory, Freedom called, and called in vain.
Furl that banner, sadly, slowly, Treat it gently, for 'tis holy: 'Till that day--yes, furl it sadly, Then once more unfurl it gladly-- Conquered Banner--keep it still![23]
Why can not we be brothers? the battle now is o'er; We've laid our bruis'd arms on the field, to take them up no more; We who have fought you hard and long, now overpower'd stand As poor defenseless prisoners in our own native land. _Chorus_--We know that we are Rebels, And we don't deny the name, We speak of that which we have done With grief, but not with shame.
But we have rights most sacred, by solemn compact bound, Seal'd by the blood that freely gush'd from many a ghastly wound; When Lee gave up his trusty sword, and his men laid down their arms, It was that they should live at home, secure from war's dire harms.
And surely, since we've now disarm'd, we are not to be dreaded; Our old chiefs, who on many fields our trusty columns headed, Are fast within an iron grasp, and manacled with chains, Perchance, 'twixt dreary walls to stay as long as life remains!
Oh! shame upon the coward band, who in the conflict dire, Went not to battle for their cause, 'mid the ranks of steel and fire, Yet now, since all the fighting's done, are hourly heard to cry: "Down with the traitors! hang them all, each Rebel dog shall die!"