"The Death Knell Is Tolling" (1865)
Quartette
A Requiem to the memory of our late beloved President,
Abraham Lincoln
Written by
Hon. H. H. Cody
Music by
J. F. Fargo

Chicago: Lyon & Healy, Cor. Clark & Washington Sts.
Cinn.: J. Church Jr.
N. York: W. A. Pond & Co.
Boston: O. Ditson & Co.
Boston: J. C. Haynes & Co.
Phila.: C. W. A. Trumpler
[Lith. by] H. Greene of Boston
Plate No. 22742
[Source: scsm0053@LoC]

1. The death knell is toiling, the flag at halfmast,
The land drap’d in mourning, we all stand aghast,
As the tidings so fearful are borne to our ears;
And today we are bending in sorrow and tears
O’er a President’s grave, ’round a newly wrought tomb,
Made by deeds of such darkness that horror and gloom,
Spread a pall o’er the land while a great nation weeps,
O’er the form of the dead who so peacefully sleeps.
Sleep, sleep, sleep, Lincoln, sleep, sleep.

2. Yes, peacefully sleeps, heeding not the fond hand
That is stain’d with the choicest lifeblood of the land,
Heeding not the wild waves of anguish that roll
O’er the hearts of all true men, chilling the soul,
His mission accomplish’d, his life work is o’er,
The tumults of earth shall disturb him no more;
Great Martyr of Freedom! he has gone to his God,
And we’re left to weep, and “Pass under the rod.”
Sleep, sleep, sleep, Lincoln sleep, sleep.

3. O God of our Fathers! we look up to thee;
In this hour of sadness, here bending the knee;
We crave thy protection in the midst of the gloom,
As we stand the third time, by a President’s tomb;
Our way lies in darkness, and the old ship of State
Droops colors in mourning o’er her Captain’s sad fate;
But with Thee at the helm, our flag shall still wave
“O’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave.”
Sleep, sleep, sleep, Lincoln, sleep, sleep.