The Dawn Of Peace
Hail glorious dawn of Peace,
That breaks upon our land;
The thunders from the warcloud cease,
Our foes no longer stand,
Rebellion - dark and bloody cause,
A sea of blood and tears,
Ceases to break our country's laws,
And sweet Peace reappears.
A glorious victory is ours,
For Freedom and for Right,
A lesson 'tis for foreign powers -
They see our country's might;
And brighter shine the glorious stars
On the banner of the free;
Since Sherman marched in Freedom's wars
From Georgia to the sea.
Returning braves from battle fields,
Are welcomed home again;
And Slavery to Freedom yields,
We have removed the stain.
The slaves their chains no longer wear,
The bondman now is free;
This land shall be forevermore
The Land of Liberty.
The heroes come - they bear the flag
They fought so long to save;
They raised it on the mountain crag,
Where fought and fell the brave.
But brighter shines the stars thereon
Though tattered are its folds;
The battles fought, the victory's won -
Worth more than India's golds.
But what a galaxy of names
Appear on Freedom's scroll,
Men with great patriotic aims,
And breadth of heart and soul.
Our martyred Lincoln so revered,
And Grant, the Nation's pride,
The name of Sherman so endeared,
And Sheridan beside.
These names are highest, but they stand
To point to brilliant hosts
Of those who fought for Freedom's Land,
Her rivers and her coasts.
The conquering hosts are coming home
The prisoners released;
The time for jubilee has come,
The sound of war has ceased.
Then shout for joy all Freedom's hosts,
Let all the earth rejoice;
Though thrones should shake on foreign coasts
With sound of Freedom's voice.
They're coming home, those men so true,
Those glorious Sons of Mars,
Glad welcome give to "Boys in Blue"
Who fought in Freedom's wars.
For the Louisville Journal, July, 1865.
From: War Songs Poems and Odes by R.W. Burt
Peoria Illinois 1909
Copyright © 1995-2000 Larry Stevens