To the memory of
Col. John L. Chatfield,
6th Reg. Conn. Vols. 10th Army Corps, by his Brother Soldiers.
"A
Hero has fallen" [circa 1865]
Words by
Sergt. J. A. Wilson.
Co. K. 6th Conn. Vols.
Music by
J. R. King.
Lieut. 6th Regt. Conn. Vols.

BOSTON,
Published by Oliver Ditson & Co., 277 Washington St.
Cin.: J. Church Jr.
N. York: W. A. Pond & Co.
Boston: J. C. Haynes & Co.
Philada.: J. E. Gould.
[Plate No.] 22176
[Engraved by] W. Darenport.
[Source: from civilwardigital.com]

1. His saddle is empty,
And sheath’d is his sword;
Another has left us,
To reap his reward;
A Hero has fallen,
Our Chatfield is gone;
At the word of his Chieftain,
The brave warrior Strong;
Midst the bursting of bombshells,
From Sumter and Gregg;
He marshall’d his columns,
And march’d at their head;
Clear cool and steady,
By the flash of his eye,
We knew that he led us
To conquer or die.

2. We charg’d upon Wagner,
The moat was attained,
Our colors were foremost,
The parapet gained;
Tho’ brief was the struggle,
A bullet transfixed,
The twice wounded soldier,
The chief of the Sixth;
Our Chatfield has fallen,
But still to the last,
To God and his country,
Was firm and steadfast;
Tho’ justly ambitious.
Yet always intent,
On the task of ennobling,
The Sixth Regiment.

3. Tho’ we fought long and bravely,
We suffer’d defeat;
Were shattered and mangled,
Compelled to retreat;
Yet the groans of our dying,
The heaps of our slain,
Shall serve but to nerve us,
To struggle again;
And a Putnam, Shaw, Libby,
Strong, Stevens and Dean,
Their names shall burn ever,
On the bright roll of fame;
And long shall the Nation,
Their great loss lament,
With the valorous chief,
Of the Sixth Regiment.

4. May their mantles now fallen,
As fitingly rest
Upon men as devoted,
And signally blest;
In song and in story,
Their praise ever sound,
As long as a lover
Of freedom is found,
Tho’ empty their saddles,
And sheath’d are their swords
We’ll seize the example,
Their record affords,
And prove ourselves worthy,
Of those we deplore,
With the chief that’s to lead us
The gallant Gilmore.