CCCXLVI.

THE BLACK REGIMENT; OR, THE SECOND LOUISIANA AT THE STORMING OF PORT HUDSON.

"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 guns' mouths 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 't is 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.
Oh, 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!

G. H. Boker.

CCCXLVII.

FORWARD!

LOD, to the human soul,

GOD,

And all the spheres that roll,

Wrapped by his Spirit in their robes of light,
Hath said: "The primal plan,

Of all the world, and man,

Is forward! Progress is your law your right."

The despots of the earth,

Since Freedom had her birth,

Have to their subject nations said, "Stand still; "
So, from the Polar Bear,

Comes down the freezing air,

And stiffens all things with its deadly chill.

He who doth God resist

God's old antagonist

Would snap the chain that binds all things to him;
And in his godless pride,

All peoples would divide,

And scatter even the choirs of seraphim.

God, all the orbs that roll,
Binds to one common goal-

One source of light and life - his radiant throne.
In one fraternal mind

All races would he bind,
Till every man in man a brother own.

Tyrants with tyrants league,
Corruption and intrigue

To strangle infant Liberty conspire.
Around her cradle, then,

Let self-devoted men

Gather, and keep unquenched her vital fire.

When Tyranny, grown bold,

To Freedom's host cries," Hold!

Ye towards her temple at your peril march;

66

'Stop," that great host replies,

Raising to heaven its eyes,

99

06 Stop, first, the host that moves across yon arch!"

When Tyranny commands,

"Hold thou my victim's hands,

While I more firmly rivet on his chains,

Or with my bowie-knife

I'll take your craven life,

Or show my streets bespattered with your brains,

Freedom with forward tread,
Unblenching, turns her head,

And drawing from its sheath her flashing glave,
Calmly makes answer: "Dare

Touch of my head one hair,

rul cut the cord that holds your every slave!"

99

J. Pierpont.

BOOK THIRD.

HUMOROUS SELECTIONS

FOR

RECITATION AND DECLAMATION

IN PROSE AND POETRY.

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