"Be Merciful to the South" [1866]
Words by
Miles O'Reilly.
Music by
W[illia]m. Ketchum

New York, NY: C. M. Tremaine, 481 Broadway
[Plate No.] 1311
[24288]
[M 1640
  .K]
Engraved at Clayton's.
[Source: civilwardigital.com]

1. Be merciful to the South—
Not with the empty word in your mouth,
  But merciful be— let your actions tell—     
  To the men who were beaten, but fought so well;
    Be merciful to the South!

2.   Be generous to the South—
Gentle in deed and in word of mouth,
  For no craven brand on the forejead shines
  Of the men who met us in volleying lines,
    And fought for the flag of the South.

3.   Be tender and just to the South,
For famine, and slaughter, and hunger and drough,
  They have suffered, who made such a gallant fight
  For a cause that was wrong— but they thought was right—
    Be just to the beaten South!

4.   Be just and be something more,
Now that the hot days of battle are o’er;
  For brothers we were in the glorious past,
  And brothers again we must be at last—
    Be merciful to the South!

5.   We are all here once more,
The terrible days of our conflict o’er;
   And again the Old Flag floats elate
  O’er the capital dome of each sister State
    In the East, North, West and South!

6.   Let us join hands once more,
Renewing the vows that our fathers swore
  Forgetting all strife, save the lessons it taught,
  And meeting as reconciled brothers ought—
    A reconciled North and South.

7.  Yet errors on both sides were,
But for these— they are past, and we have no care;
  Let a sponge glide over the hideous years
  Of terror and bloodshed, havoc and tears,
    Dividing the North and South.

8.  Once destiny holds us yet,
We have common hopes and a common debt;
  For England was false to us both alike,
  And against her power, with strong arms, should strike
    They reconciled North and South.

9.  Oh! ’tis a glorious hour
That joins us again in imperial power!
  And long o’er the land of the free and the brave
  May the Pine and Palmetto united wave—
    Fit emblems of North and South!

10.  Again, like two parted friends,
With our guarrel fought out, the hatred ends;
   And none more welcome this happy day
  Than the Boys in Blue and the Boys in Gray;
    Who fought for the North and the South.