"Traitor, Spare That Flag" (1861)
Poetry by William J. Wetmore, M.D.
Music by Henry Russell, 1812-1900
[adapted from "The Old Armchair"]

New York: S. T. Gordon, 706 Broadway
[Source: 016/072@Levy]

1.
Traitor, spare that flag,
Touch not a single star,
'Twill rouse each loyal heart,
And light the flames of war.
Still let that standard wave,
The symbol of our land;
Raised by our patriot sires,
A brave and noble band.

2.
That old familiar flag,
Waves proudly as of yore;
It floats on many a sea,
On many a foreign shore;
Ha! traitor! wouldth thou here,
An other emblem see?
Vile monster! let it stand,
That banner of the Free!

3.
From early youth I've seen,
That banner with delight;
And felt its glorious stars,
Were gems of living light;
O're fields of bloody strife,
That flag has bravely led,
And after battles won,
Has wrapp'd its honored dead.

4.
Still proudly wave old flag;
Bright emblem of our land;
Touch not a single star,
Stay, traitor, stay thy hand;
That banner still shall float,
That flag shall ever wave;
He who would dare destroy,
Shall fill a traitor's grave.