'Rifleman, shoot me a fancy shot <br />Straight at the heart of yon prowling vidette; <br />Ring me a ball in the glittering spot <br />That shines on his breast like an amulet!' <br /> <br />'Ah, captain! here goes for a fine-drawn bead, <br />There's music around when my barrel's in tune!' <br />Crack! went the rifle, the messenger sped, <br />And dead from his horse fell the ringing dragoon. <br /> <br />'Now, rifelman, steal through the bushes, and snatch <br />From your victim some trinket to handsel first blood; <br />A button, a loop, or that luminous patch <br />That gleams in the moon like a diamnond stud!' <br /> <br />'Oh, captain! I staggered, and sunk on my track, <br />When I gazed on the face of that fallen vidette, <br />For he looked so like you, as he lay on his back, <br />That my heart rose upon me, and masters me yet. <br /> <br />'But I snatched off the trinket,-this locket of gold; <br />An inch from the centre my lead broke its way, <br />Scarce grazing the picture, so fair to behold, <br />Of a beautiful lady in bridal array.' <br /> <br />'Ha! rifleman, fling me the locket!-'tis she, <br />My brother's young bride, and the fallen dragoon <br />Was her husband-Hush! soldier, 'twas Heaven's decree, <br />We must bury him there, by the light of the moon! <br /> <br />'But hark! the far bugles their warnings unite; <br />War is a virtue,-weakness a sin; <br />There's a lurking and loping around us to-night; <br />Load again, rifleman, keep your hand in!'<br /><br />Charles Dawson Shanly<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/civile-bellum/
