To
Miss Charlotte Cushman
"The
Cumberland" (1863)
With Chorus ad libitum
Words by
LONGFELLOW
[Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)]
Music by
[Cover page: F. BOOTT.]
[Title page:] J.  BOOTT.

Boston: Oliver Ditson & Co., 277 Washington St.
N. York: Firth, Pond Co.
Cin.: J. Church Jr.
Boston: J. C. Haynes & Co.
Philad'a: J. E. Gould
Plate No. 21839
[Source: 087/100@Levy]

1. At anchor in Hampton Roads we lay,
On board of the Cumberland sloop of war
And at times from the fortress across the bay
The alarum of drums swept past,
Or a bugleblast From the camp on the shore.

2. Then far away to the south uprose,
A little feather of snow white smoke,
And we knew that the iron ships of our foes
Was steadily steering its course
To try the force of our ribs of oak.

3. Down, down upon us heavily runs,
Silent and sullen the floating fort
Then comes a puff of smoke from her guns,
And leaps the terrible death
With fiery breath From each open port.

4. We are not idle but send her straight
Defiance back in a full broadside,
As hail rebounds from a roof of slate,
Rebounds our heavier hail
From each iron scale of the monster’s hide.

5. “Strike, strike your flag!” the rebel cried
In his arrogant, old plantation strain,
“Never!” our gallant Morris replies;
“It is better to sink than to yield!”
And the whole air pealed with the cheers of our men.

6. Then like a kraken huge and black,
She crushed our ribs in her iron grasp!
Down went the Cumberland, all a wrack
With a sudden shudder of death,
And the cannon’s breath for her dying gasp.

7. Next morn, as the sun rose over the bay,
Still floated our flag at the mainmast head.
Lord, how beautiful was the day!
Every waft of the air
Was a whisper of prayer, or a dirge for the dead.

8. Ho! brave hearts that went down in the seas!
Ye are at rest in the troubled stream.
Ho! brave land! with hearts like these,
Thy flag that is rent in twain
Shall be one again without a seam!

CHORUS [sung after last VERSE only]
[with overlapping voices]
[Soprano Solo.]
seam.
Thy flag that is rent in twain,
Shall be one,
Shall be one again,
Thy flag this is rent,
Shall be one,
Shall be one again,
And without a seam!
[Soprani.]
Shall be one again,
Thy flag that is rent in twain,
Shall be one again.
Thy flag that is rent in twain,
Shall be one,
Shall be one again
And without a seam! 
[Alti.]
Shall be one again, again
Thy flag that is rent in twain,
Shall be one again.
Thy flag that is rent in twain,
Shall be one,
Shall be one again
And without a seam!
[Tenori.]
Shall be one again, again.
Thy flag that is rent in twain
Shall be one again.
Thy flag that is rent in twain,
Shall be one,
Shall be one again,
And without a seam!
[Bassi.]
Shall be one again,
Shall be one again.
Thy flag that is rent in twain,
Shall be one again.
Thy flag that is rent in twain
Shall be one,
Shall be one again
And without a seam!