The miscellaneous works of David Humphreys Late Minister Plenipotentiary from the United States of America to the Court of Madrid |
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 | The miscellaneous works of David Humphreys |  |
Rob'd in vermilion dye, the files of war,
Unfolding, stretch'd their banner'd wings afar.
Tall in the flaming front, with martial rage,
Tow'r'd the bold chieftains, Clinton, Howe, and Gage.
With noble badges deck'd, in lordly guise,
Percy, Cornwallis, Moira, caught our eyes,
For dignity remark'd. There Burgoyne mov'd,
A book-learn'd Captain, by the muse belov'd:
And Carleton sage, whom regal favours grace,
Conferring peerage on th' ennobled race:
Lincoln and Cathcart beam'd, while knights star-drest
Display'd “their blushing honours” on their breast.
Near canvass walls, Vaughan, Leslie, Mathews, rang'd,
And Prescot captur'd twice, and twice exchang'd.
There march'd, on manag'd steeds, with harness gay,
O'Hara, Philips, Pigot, Garth and Grey.
There Lairds, whose car-borne sires to battle rode,
The Stuarts, Fraziers, Campbells, Erskines, strode:
M'Leods, M'Donalds, Gordons, Douglas, strove,
In southern sands, and many a northern grove.
There hoary Haldimand, long since who came
From poor Helvetia, rich in warlike fame,
Stood stately. Next, whom German climes afar,
Had nurs'd for blood fields in a former war,
De Heister, Knyphausen, Redheisel, brave,
And Donop destin'd to a foreign grave,
Stalk'd proudly on—and led the venal band—
Promis'd (miscall'd rebellion crush'd) the land
Should be their own. These men their princes sold,
And barter'd precious lives for paltry gold.
Yet haply some, when conquer'd, shall enjoy
That liberty they labour'd to destroy!
For he to whom war's destinies belong,
Decreed the weak should triumph o'er the strong:
What wonder, though the might of Britain fought,
And fam'd confederates works of valour wrought;
An infant nation, warm'd by freedom's flame,
Should win the prize, and gain immortal fame?
Unfolding, stretch'd their banner'd wings afar.
Tall in the flaming front, with martial rage,
Tow'r'd the bold chieftains, Clinton, Howe, and Gage.
With noble badges deck'd, in lordly guise,
Percy, Cornwallis, Moira, caught our eyes,
For dignity remark'd. There Burgoyne mov'd,
A book-learn'd Captain, by the muse belov'd:
And Carleton sage, whom regal favours grace,
Conferring peerage on th' ennobled race:
141
Display'd “their blushing honours” on their breast.
Near canvass walls, Vaughan, Leslie, Mathews, rang'd,
And Prescot captur'd twice, and twice exchang'd.
There march'd, on manag'd steeds, with harness gay,
O'Hara, Philips, Pigot, Garth and Grey.
There Lairds, whose car-borne sires to battle rode,
The Stuarts, Fraziers, Campbells, Erskines, strode:
M'Leods, M'Donalds, Gordons, Douglas, strove,
In southern sands, and many a northern grove.
There hoary Haldimand, long since who came
From poor Helvetia, rich in warlike fame,
Stood stately. Next, whom German climes afar,
Had nurs'd for blood fields in a former war,
De Heister, Knyphausen, Redheisel, brave,
And Donop destin'd to a foreign grave,
Stalk'd proudly on—and led the venal band—
Promis'd (miscall'd rebellion crush'd) the land
Should be their own. These men their princes sold,
And barter'd precious lives for paltry gold.
Yet haply some, when conquer'd, shall enjoy
That liberty they labour'd to destroy!
For he to whom war's destinies belong,
Decreed the weak should triumph o'er the strong:
What wonder, though the might of Britain fought,
And fam'd confederates works of valour wrought;
An infant nation, warm'd by freedom's flame,
Should win the prize, and gain immortal fame?
| The miscellaneous works of David Humphreys | |