Ballad on the American War

9Then thro’ the lakes Montgomery takes,

10 I wat he was na slaw, man;

11Down Lowrie’s Burn he took a turn,

12 And Carleton did ca’, man:

13But yet, whatreck, he, at Quebec,

14 Montgomery-like did fa’, man,

15Wi’ sword in hand, before his band,

16 Amang his en’mies a’, man.

17Poor Tammy Gage within a cage

18 Was kept at Boston-ha’, man;

19Till Willie Howe took o’er the knowe

20 For Philadelphia, man;

21Wi’ sword an’ gun he thought a sin

22 Guid Christian bluid to draw, man;

23But at New York, wi’ knife an’ fork,

24 Sir-Loin he hacked sma’, man.

25Burgoyne gaed up, like spur an’ whip,

26 Till Fraser brave did fa’, man;

27Then lost his way, ae misty day,

28 In Saratoga shaw, man.

29Cornwallis fought as lang’s he dought,

30 An’ did the Buckskins claw, man;

31But Clinton’s glaive frae rust to save,

32 He hung it to the wa’, man.

33Then Montague, an’ Guilford too,

34 Began to fear, a fa’, man;

35And Sackville dour, wha stood the stour,

36 The German chief to thraw, man:

37For Paddy Burke, like ony Turk,

38 Nae mercy had at a’, man;

39An’ Charlie Fox threw by the box,

40 An’ lows’d his tinkler jaw, man.

41Then Rockingham took up the game,

42 Till death did on him ca’, man;

43When Shelburne meek held up his cheek,

44 Conform to gospel law, man:

45Saint Stephen’s boys, wi’ jarring noise,

46 They did his measures thraw, man;

47For North an’ Fox united stocks,

48 An’ bore him to the wa’, man.

49Then clubs an’ hearts were Charlie’s cartes,

50 He swept the stakes awa’, man,

51Till the diamond’s ace, of Indian race,

52 Led him a sair faux pas, man:

53The Saxon lads, wi’ loud placads,

54 On Chatham’s boy did ca’, man;

55An’ Scotland drew her pipe an’ blew,

56 “Up, Willie, waur them a’, man!”

57Behind the throne then Granville’s gone,

58 A secret word or twa, man;

59While slee Dundas arous’d the class

60 Be-north the Roman wa’, man:

61An’ Chatham’s wraith, in heav’nly graith,

62 (Inspired bardies saw, man),

63Wi’ kindling eyes, cry’d, “Willie, rise!

64 Would I hae fear’d them a’, man?”

65But, word an’ blow, North, Fox, and Co.

66 Gowff’d Willie like a ba’, man;

67Till Suthron raise, an’ coost their claise

68 Behind him in a raw, man:

69An’ Caledon threw by the drone,

70 An’ did her whittle draw, man;

71An’ swoor fu’ rude, thro’ dirt an’ bluid,

72 To mak it guid in law, man.