To Mrs. Robert W. Hays
"The Wandering Refugee" (1865)
New Edition with additional words by
W B. Wood, M.D. Franklin, LA

1.
Farewell mother home and friends,
We may never meet again,
Soon 'mid strangers I must roam,
Oh! the parting gives me pain,
Tho' I wander far away,
Lonely o're lifes stormy sea;
Who will shed one gentle tear,
For a wand'ring refugee,
Who will shed one gentle tear,
For a wand'ring refugee.

CHORUS
Mother, oh! farewell!
I must go, I'll think of thee,
Oh! Mother I must leave thee now,
I'm a wand'ring refugee.

2.
Farewell sunny southern home,
Home I always lov'd so true,
Oft' will teardrops dim mine eyes,
When my mem'ry flies to you,
But the happy scenes of yore,
I alas will never see,
I'll be roaming far away,
A lonely wand'ring refugee,
I'll be roaming far away,
A lonely wand'ring refugee.

(CHORUS)

[Additional verses by Dr. W. B. Woods.
Inscribed to the Memory of the Lamented Ex. Gov. Allen.]

3.
Farewell, faithful, gallant BRAVES,
  Sever'd now our pathway lies--
You perhaps may soon forget,
  Cheer'd by Home and kindred skies;
But sadder fate is mine,
  And I bow to its degree--
I must be in foreign climes
  A weeping, wand'ring refugee!
I must be in foreign climes
  A weeping, wand'ring refugee!

(CHORUS)

4.
Farewell, all that made
  Noble, generous, SOUTHERN HOME!
Oh, how wildly throbs my heart,
  As away from thee I roam;
Hearts may break and still beat on--
  Mine, thou broken, throbs for thee--
Who will pity with a tear,
  A weeping, wand'ring refugee?
Who will pity with a tear,
  A weeping, wand'ring refugee?

(CHORUS)

            St. Mary, July 1866