"The Dying Volunteer" (1861)
(of the 6th Massachusetts Regiment)
Compos'd & Dedicated to the
Volunteers of the 6th Massachusetts Regt.
by G. Gumpert
Arranged for the Piano
by F. Losse

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The Father of this dying volunteer fell in the Battle for his
country, the Son followed his footsteps, leaving his wife and
only child, to defend his Country's flag: he was killed at the riot
in Baltimore, April the 19th 1861. The last words he breathed were
"All hail the Stars and Stripes"!!!

1.
Farewell my child,
Farewell my wife,
The bugle sound I hear;
It calls me to the bloody strife,
It calls the volunteer.
It calls me to the bloody strife,
It calls the volunteer.
All hail to the Stars and Stripes!

Care for my boy, and when I die,
Beneath that starry flag,
Oh! watch him with a mother's eye,
His courage will not lag.
All hail to the Stars and Stripes!

2.
My father died on freedom's field,
I promis'd on his knee,
That I would fight and never yield,
Until our land was free.
That I would fight and never yield,
Until our land was free.
All hail to the Stars and Stripes!

The hero left his home and went,
To serve his fatherland,
The noble, brave Sixth regiment,
He joined with heart and hand.
All hail to the Stars and Stripes!

3.
He was the first, whose blood was spill'd,
By traitors' hands he died;
His country's love his bosom fill'd,
And dying still he cried;
His country's love his bosom fill'd,
And dying still he cried:
All hail the Stars and Stripes!

Oh! Massachussets' noble son
May laurels crown thy grave,
Thy country's freedom must be won.
The Union still we'll save.
All hail the Stars and Stripes!