A Fragment of a Song (Ballad on the American War)

When Guilford good our Pilot stood,
An' did our hellin thraw, man,
Ae night, at tea, began a plea,
Within America, man:
Then up they gat the maskin-pat
And in the sea did jaw, man;
An' did nae less in full Congress
Than quite refuse our law, man.

Then through the lakes Montgomery takes,
I wat he was na slaw, man;
Down Lowrie's burn he took a turn,
And C-rlet-n did ca', man:
Bet yet, whatreck, he at Quebec
Montgomery - like did fa', man,
Wi' sword in hand, before his band,
Amang his en'mies a', man.

Poor Tammy G-ge within a cage
Was kept at Boston-ha', man,
Till Willie H--e took owre the knowe
For Philadelphia, man:
Wi' sword an' gun he thought a sin
Guid Christian bluid to draw, man;
But at New York wi' knife an' fork, Sir Loin he hacked sma', man.


B-rg--ne gaed up like spur an' whip,
Till Fraser brave did fa', man;
Then lost his way, ae misty day,
In Saratoga shaw, man.
C-rnw-ll-s fought as lang's he dought,
An' did the Buckskins claw, man;
But Cl-nt-n's glaive frae rust to save
He hung it to the wa', man.

[Vertical text]
And S-ckv-lle doure wha stood the stoure,
The German Chief to thraw man.

3-13 Then M-nt-gue, an' Guilford too,
Began to fear a fa', man;
An' bauld G--ne whome Minden's plain
To fame will ever blaw, man:
For Paddy B-rke, like ony Turk,
Nae mercy had at a', man;
An' Charlie F-x threw by the box,
An' lows'd his tinkler jaw, man.

The R-ck-ngh-m took up the game;
Till Death did on him ca', man;
When Sh-lb-rne meek held up his cheek,
Conform to Gospel law man;
Saint Stephen's boys, wi' jarring noise,
They did his measures thraw, man;
For N-rth an' F-x united stocks,:
An' bore him to the wa', man.

The Clubs an' Hearts we're Charlie's cartes,
He swept the stakes awa, man,
Till the Diamond's Ace, of Indian race,
Led him a fair faux pas, man:
The Saxon lads, wi' loud placads
On Chatham's Boy did ca', man;
An' Scotland drew her pipe an' blew,
"Up, Willie, waur them a', man."

Behind the throne then Gr-nv-lle's gone,
A secret word or twa, man;
While slee D-nd-s arous't the class
Benorth the Roman wa', man:
An' Chatham's wraith, in heavenly gra[page torn]
(Inspir'd Bardies saw man)
Wi' kindling eyes cry'd, "Willie, rise!
"Would I hae fear'd them a', man!"