Licking Volunteers At The Battle Of Fort Donelson
The 76th Ohio was recruited at Newark, Licking County, Ohio
You've heard of the glorious Seventy-sixth,
Camp Sherman was our home, sirs,
Until we came to Dixie's land,
Just where we wished to come, sirs.
At Donelson we met the foe,
And never thought to fear, sirs,
For we're the boys of the Seventy-sixth,
The Licking Volunteers, sirs.
We made the brown coat rebels run
Before our deadly fires, sirs,
The Seventy-sixth just thought it fun,
They're the boys that never tire, sirs.
We are not all from Licking - true,
As soon it will appear, sirs,
But rebels say the country through,
We're Licking Volunteers, sirs.
There's Capt. Briggs, of Molly Stark,
And also Capt. Jay, sirs.
We have as brave a set of boys,
As ever had a fray, sirs.
Coshocton, too, and Jefferson,
Are represented here, sirs,
But 'tis our fighting makes us all
The Licking Volunteers, sirs.
Columbianna boys are here,
And also some from Perry,
And when there is a chance for fight,
They never are more merry.
It matters not from whence we came,
We're always in good Cheer, sirs,
And glory always in the name
Of Licking Volunteers, sirs.
Our Colonel Woods is just the man
To lead us on to battle,
Yes, Colonel Charlie knows the plan
To make the foe skedaddle.
With him to lead the Seventy-sixth,
There's not a bit of fear, sirs,
But every man will prove himself
A Licking Volunteer, sirs.
That all our officers are brave,
I'll lay a handsome wager;
The line of Captains that we have,
The Colonels and the Major,
And our Lieutenants they are some,
That fact is very clear, sirs;
You always find them backing up
The Licking Volunteers, sirs.
'Twas February the fifteenth,
On Saturday in the morning,
We made our old French rifles sing,
The rebel shot-gun scorning.
The rebels freely gave it up,
When next we got their ear, sirs,
That the Ohio Seventy-sixth
Were Licking Volunteers, sirs.
Company H. and company K,
Got slight wounds in the flesh, sirs,
While company D. and company A.
Were death on the Secesh, sirs.
So company F. and company E.
Were never in arrears, sirs,
But drove the rebels to the trees,
They're Licking Volunteers, sirs.
There's company G. and company C,
Stood nobly by the colors,
The bullets flew both thick and free
Around those noble fellows.
But when they heard of Capt. Scott
The rebels cried, "Oh, Dear! sirs;"
And said that they would all come down
To the Licking Volunteers, sirs.
On Sunday morning out we came,
Expecting some big fighting,
The Seventy-sixth was in for game,
And at the breastworks sighting.
When up came news from Donelson,
That raised a glorious cheer, sirs,
The Seventy-sixth all swung their hats,
Like Licking Volunteers, sirs.
A glorious victory now was ours,
And down we marched to Dover,
The brown Secesh looked very sad,
But we felt glad all over.
Fort Donelson was surely ours,
And cheer went up on cheer, sirs,
Who wouldn't have been about this time,
A Licking Volunteer, sirs?
From: War Songs Poems and Odes by R.W. Burt
Peoria Illinois 1909Copyright © 1995-2000 Larry Stevens