 | War poets of the South and Confederate camp-fire songs. |  |
ROOT HOG OR DIE.
Old Abe Lincoln keeps kicking up a fuss—
I think he'd better stop it, for he'll only make it worse;
We'll have our independence—I'll tell you the reason why,
Jeff Davis will make them sing, "Root hog or die."
I think he'd better stop it, for he'll only make it worse;
We'll have our independence—I'll tell you the reason why,
Jeff Davis will make them sing, "Root hog or die."
When Lincoln went to reinforce Sumter for the fight,
He told his men to pass through the harbor in the night;
He said to them: Be careful, I'll tell you the reason why,
The Southern boys are mighty bad on "Root hog or die."
He told his men to pass through the harbor in the night;
He said to them: Be careful, I'll tell you the reason why,
The Southern boys are mighty bad on "Root hog or die."
Then Beauregard called a halt according to the style—
The Lincolnites faced about, and looked mighty wild;
They couldn't give the password, I'll tell you the reason why,
Beauregard's countersign was: "Root hog or die. '
The Lincolnites faced about, and looked mighty wild;
They couldn't give the password, I'll tell you the reason why,
Beauregard's countersign was: "Root hog or die. '
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They anchored out a battery upon the waters free—
It was the queerest looking thing that ever you did see,
It was the fall of Sumter, I'll tell you the reason why,
It was the Southern alphabet of "Root hog or die."
It was the queerest looking thing that ever you did see,
It was the fall of Sumter, I'll tell you the reason why,
It was the Southern alphabet of "Root hog or die."
They telegraphed to Abraham they took her like a
flirt;
They underscored another line—"there was nobody hurt."
We're bound to have the Capital, I'll tell you the reason why,
We want to teach old Abe to sing "Root hog or die."
They underscored another line—"there was nobody hurt."
We're bound to have the Capital, I'll tell you the reason why,
We want to teach old Abe to sing "Root hog or die."
When Abraham read the dispatch, the tear came in
his eye,
He walled his eyes to Bobby, and Bobby began to cry,
They prayed for Jeff to spare them, I'll tell you the reason why,
They didn't want to "mark time" to "Root hog or die."
He walled his eyes to Bobby, and Bobby began to cry,
They prayed for Jeff to spare them, I'll tell you the reason why,
They didn't want to "mark time" to "Root hog or die."
The Kentucky braves at Trenton are eager for the
fight—
They want to help the Southern boys to set old Abram right;
They had to leave their native State, I'll tell you the reason why,
Old Kentucky wouldn't sing "Root hog or die."
They want to help the Southern boys to set old Abram right;
They had to leave their native State, I'll tell you the reason why,
Old Kentucky wouldn't sing "Root hog or die."
| War poets of the South and Confederate camp-fire songs. | |