The Twenty-Seventh, Welcome!

By Dr. John Clark Ridpath, 1886

I. O ye men who flew to arms In the midst of war’s alarms, Fell in line without a word, Seized the musket and the sword, Turned from home to march and fight In the battle for the right, There is welcome here for you O ye men who wore the blue! II. Ye whom bugles sounding far Called and marshalled forth to war; Ye to whom it seemed the best To lose your lives and save the rest, Come and camp today a while In the light of Freedom’s smile, Hear the cheers that ring for you O ye men who wore the blue! III. Near a lifetime ‘tis ago When the mad men struck the blow, Dared the people, kindled strife, Sought to take the Nation’s life, Smote old Sumter as she sate, Would have rent each noble State From the Union- but for you, O ye men who wore the blue! IV. Armies rose and wheeled away In that great heroic day; They were lost awhile from sight In the thickest of the fight; In the curling battle smoke Where the gray lines reeled and broke, You were hidden long from view, O ye men who wore the blue! V. But you came through dead and dying With the old flag proudly flying! And the cheer of victory Rising to the distant sea Told the world how freemen fight, In the cause of truth and right,- Told how brave a band and true Were the men who wore the blue!

VI. History with generous pen Hath enrolled you all for men! She hath set your battles down In the world’s book of renown! Not a name shall e’er be lost Of that patriotic host Who with wounds and death in view Braved it all and wore the blue! VII. On old Cedar Mountain’s side, By the Rappahannock’s tide, At Antietam’s bloody Bridge, On the Cemetery Ridge, From the Tennessee’s red banks, Hard on Johnston’s broken Flanks, To Atlanta’s walls and through Marched the men who wore the blue! VIII. Some came home or deaf or blind, Some had left their limbs behind, Some were scarred with wounds and torn, All were bronzed and battle worn; But you came with spirits high, With the flashing of the eye, And the land was proud of you, O ye men who wore the blue! IX. Not a braver regiment Than the Twenty-seventh spent Hope and health and blood and life In those awful years of strife! Not a firmer stood at rest, Not a nobler bared its breast! Not a line more tried and true, O ye men who wore the blue! X. Years have fled, and ye are here To revive with song and cheer Memories that drift afar From the grand old days of war! In this classic, loyal hall Light your camp-fire, roll the ball! Welcome here ye brave and true- Welcome all who wore the blue!