"The Girl I Left Behind Me" (circa 1840s)
National Air
by Samuel Lover
[based on the music of "Brighton Camp"]

1.
The home was sad, I left the maid,
A ling'ring farewell taking,
Her sighs and tears my steps delayed,
I thought her heart was breaking;
In hurried words her name I blest,
I breathed the vows that bind me,
And to my heart in anguish pressed
The girl I left behind me.

2.
Then to the South we bore away,
To win a name in story,
And there, where dawns the sun of day,
There dawned our sun of glory;
Both blazed in neon on Richmond's height,
Where in the post assigned me,
I shared the glory of that fight,
Sweet girl I left behind me.

3.
Full many a name our banners bore
Of former deeds of daring,
But they were of the days of yore,
In which we had no sharing;
But now our laurels freshly won
With the old  [-]  shall [-]
I'll [- - -] sires each son,
Swept girl I left behind me.

4.
The hope of final victory,
Within any bosom burning,
Is mingling with sweet thoughts of thee
And of my fond entwining
But should I ne'er return again,
Still worth thy love thou'll find me,
Dishonor'd [thought?] shall never [stain?]
The some I''ll leave behind me.