History & Politics

The Volunteer's March

by Philip Freneau 1752–1832

From The Poems of Philip Freneau, vol. 3 (1907)

History & Politics

Ye, whom Washington has led,
Ye, who in his footsteps tread,
Ye, who death nor danger dread,
Haste to glorious victory.

Now's the day and now's the hour;
See the British navy lour,
See approach proud George's power,
England! chains and slavery.

Who would be a traitor knave?
Who would fill a coward's grave?
Who so base to be a slave?
Traitor, coward, turn and flee.

Meet the tyrants, one and all;
Freemen stand, or freemen fall--
At Columbia's patriot call,
At her mandate, march away!

Former times have seen them yield,
Seen them drove from every field,
Routed, ruin'd, and repell'd--
Seize the spirit of those times!

By oppression's woes and pains--
By our sons in servile chains
We will bleed from all our veins
But they shall be--shall be free.

O'er the standard of their power
Bid Columbia's eagle tower,
Give them hail in such a shower
As shall blast them--horse and man!

Lay the proud invaders low,
Tyrants fall in every foe;
Liberty's in every blow,
Forward! let us do or die.

MLA

Freneau, Philip. “The Volunteer's March.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/freneau/330/.

Chicago

Freneau, Philip. “The Volunteer's March.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/freneau/330/.

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