Our camp-fires shone bright on the mountain <br />That frowned on the river below, <br />As we stood by our guns in the morning, <br />And eagerly watched for the foe; <br />When a rider came out of the darkness <br />That hung over mountain and tree, <br />And shouted, 'Boys, up and be ready! <br />For Sherman will march to the sea!' <br /> <br />Then cheer upon cheer for bold Sherman <br />Went up from each valley and glen, <br />And the bugles re-echoed the music <br />That came from the lips of the men; <br />For we knew that the stars in our banner <br />More bright in their splendor would be, <br />And that blessings from Northland would greet us, <br />When Sherman marched down to the sea. <br /> <br />Then forward, boys! forward to battle! <br />We marched on our wearisome way, <br />We stormed the wild hills of Resaca— <br />God bless those who fell on that day! <br />Then Kenesaw, dark in its glory, <br />Frowned down on the flag of the free; <br />But the East and the West bore our standard <br />And Sherman marched down to the sea. <br /> <br />Still onward we pressed, till our banners <br />Swept out from Atlanta's grim walls, <br />And the blood of the patriot dampened <br />The soil where the traitor-flag falls; <br />We paused not to weep for the fallen, <br />Who slept by each river and tree, <br />Yet we twined them a wreath of the laurel, <br />As Sherman marched down to the sea. <br /> <br />Oh, proud was our army that morning, <br />That stood where the pine darkly towers, <br />When Sherman said, 'Boys, you are weary, <br />But to-day fair Savannah is ours!' <br />Then sang we the song of our chieftain, <br />That echoed o'er river and lea, <br />And the stars in our banner shone brighter <br />When Sherman marched down to the sea.<br /><br />Samuel Hawkins Marshall Byers<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/sherman-s-march-to-the-sea-2/
