[Black soldiers]
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC08358 Author/Creator: Place Written: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Type: Broadside Date: 1 November 1864 Pagination: Order a Copy
"God save the republic. Never in field or tent scorn a black regiment." Issued "in commemoration of emancipation in Maryland." With George Boker's Poem 'The Black Regiment', and vignettes of colored troops in battle, slaves on the auction block, quotes from J. Q. Adams, Andrew Johnson, The Bible, Jefferson, Washington, P. Henry, Jackson, etc. Published in Philadelphia: Rigwalt and Brown
[Draft Created by Crowdsourcing]
FREE MARYLAND.
AIR-"My Maryland."
Blest Freedom's crown is on thy brow,
Maryland, free Maryland;
"The giant wrong" hath left thee now,
Maryland, free Maryland.
In heaven above, with joyous strain,
The angels join the glad refrain:
Thy robes are white and washed from stain,
Dear Maryland, our Maryland.
Thy people's prayers go up for thee,
Maryland, dear Maryland;
Thy dusky sons are proudly free,
Maryland, dear Maryland.
No mark of scourge, no clank of chain,
No brand of infamy and pain,
Shall cause thee e'er to blush again,
Loved Maryland, dear Maryland.
Thy bright example shall avail,
Maryland, free Maryland;
Yes,-Freedom's ship shall stem the gale,
Maryland, free Maryland.
And soon by thee shall nobly stand,
The Rebel Sisters of our land;
Once more a glorious, happy band,
With Maryland, our Maryland.
We hail thee from the land of Penn,
Maryland, free Maryland;
No slave shall press thy soil again,
Maryland, free Maryland.
Forever prosperous and free,
Thy star shall shine most gloriously,
Still brighter in our galaxy,
Brave Maryland, our Maryland.
Ho! from the North comes ringing out,
Maryland, free Maryland!
With glad hurrah and joyous shout,
Maryland, free Maryland!
Our nobly Bay State's sons, who bore
Our country's flag through martyr's gore,
Forgive, and bless thee, Baltimore,
For Maryland, free Maryland.
The Union freed from Slavery's curse,
Maryland, brave Maryland;
Shall grow in head and heart and purse,
Maryland, brave Maryland;
Whilst North and South and East and West
Shall be with thee more great and blest,
May peace and joy forever rest
With Maryland, free Maryland.
THE BLACK REGIMENT.
May 27th, 1863.
BY GEORGE H. BOKER.
Dark as the clouds of even,
Ranked in the western heaven,
Waiting the breath that lifts
All the dread mass, and drifts
Tempest and falling brand
Over a ruined land;-
So still and orderly,
Arm to arm, knee to knee,
Waiting the great event,
Stands the black regiment.
Down the long dusky line
Teeth gleam and eyeballs shine;
And the bright bayonet,
Bristling and firmly set,
Flashed with a purpose grand,
Long ere the sharp command
Of the fierce rolling drum
Told them their time had come,
Told them what work was sent
For the black regiment.
"Now," the flag-sergeant cried,
"Though death and hell betide,
Let the whole nation see
If we are fit to be
Free in this land; or bound
Down like the whining hound-
Bound with red stripes of pain
In our old chains again!"
Oh! what a shout there went
From the black regiment.
"Charge!" Trump and drum awoke,
Onward the bondmen broke;
Bayonet and sabre-stroke
Vainly opposed their rush,
Through the wild battle's crush,
With but one thought aflush,
Driving their lords like chaff,
In the gun's mouth they laugh;
Or at the slippery brands
Leaping with open hands,
Down they tear man and horse,
Down in their awful course;
Trampling with bloody heel
Over the crashing steel,
All their eyes forward bent,
Rushed the black regiment.
"Freedom!" their battle-cry-
"Freedom! or leave to die!"
Ah! and they meant the word,
Not as with us 'tis heard,
Not a mere party shout:
They gave their spirits out;
Trusted the end to God,
And on the gory sod
Rolled in triumphant blood.
Glad to strike one free blow,
Whether for weal or woe;
Glad to breathe one free breath,
Though on the lips of death.
Praying-alas! in vain!-
That they might fall again,
So they could once more see
That burst to liberty!
This was what "freedom" lent
To the black regiment.
Hundreds on hundreds fell;
But they are resting well;
Scourges and shackles strong
Never shall do them wrong.
O, to the living few,
Soldiers, be just and true!
Hail them as comrades tried;
Fight with them side by side;
Never, in field or tent,
Scorn the black regiment.
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