Respectfully Dedicated to
Major General Winfield Scott
by the
Publishers.
"The American Flag" (1861)
By J.R. Drake.
[Joseph Rodman Drake, 1795-1820]
Music [adapted anonomously,] by Bellini.
[Vincenzo Bellini, 1801-1835]
Philadelphia: Lee & Walker, 722 Chesnut St.
Date: [circa 1847]
Artist: H. Whatley
T. Sinclair's Lith. Phila.
Plate number: 8202.4
[Source: 087/004@Levy;
the same publisher published a
guitar arrangement in 1847.]

1.
When Freedom from her mountain height,
Unfurl’d her standard to the air,
She tore the azure robe of night,
And set the stars of glory there!
She mingled with its gorgious dies
The milky baldric of the skies,
And striped its pure celestial white,
With streakings from the morning light!

Then, from her mansion in the sun,
  She called her eagle bearer down,
And gave in to his mighty hand
  The symbol of her chosen land.

2. Majestic monarch of the cloud!
Who rear’d aloft thy angel form
To hear the tempest trumping loud,
And see the fighting lances driven,
When strikes the warrior of the storm,
And muffs the thunder drum of heaven!
Casts of  the sun! to thee ’tis given
To guard the banner of the free

To hover in the sulphur smoke,
  To ward away the battle stroke,
And bid its blind legs shine ever,
  Like rainbows on the clouds of war.

3. Flag of the brave! thy folds shall fly,
The sign of hope and triumph high!
When speaks the signal trumpet’s tone,
And the long line comes gleaming on;
Ere yet the lifeblood, warm and wet,
Has dimm’d the glistening bayonet—
Each soldier’s eye shall brightly turn—
To where thy meteor glories burn.

Flag of the free heart’s only home,
  By angel bands to valour given!
Thy stars have lit the welkin dome
  And all thy hues were born in heaven.

4. Flag of the seas! on ocean’s wave,
Thy stars shall glitter o’er the brave,
When death, careering on the gale,
Sweeps darkly round the bellied sail,
And frighted waves push wildly back;
Before the broadside’s reeling rack;
The dying wanderer of the sea
Shall look at once to heaven and thee.

For ever float that standard sheet!
  Where breathes the foe but falls before us,
With Freedom’s soil beneath our feet,
  And Freedom’s banner streaming o’er us.