To the Ladies interested in the
"SOLDIERS HOME"
of Milwaukee, Wis.
"Our Boys Are Coming Home" (1865)
Song and Chorus
[Words and ?] Music by
T. Martin Towne

1.
Thank God, the sky is clearing!
  The clouds are hurrying past;
Thank God, the day is nearing!
  The dawn is coming fast.
And when glad herald voices
  Shall tell us peace has come,
This though shall most rejoice us,
  "Our brave boys are coming home!"

CHORUS
Our boys are coming home, coming home, coming home,
  Our boys are coming home,
This thought shall most rejoice us,
  Our boys are coming home.

2.
The vacant fireside places
  Have waited for them long;
The lovelight tacks their faces,
  The chorus waits their song;
A shadowy fear has haunted
  The long deserted room,
But now our pray'rs are granted,
  "Our boys are coming home!"

(CHORUS)

3.
O mother, calmly waking
  For that beloved son!
O sister, proudly dating
  The victories he has won!
O maiden, softly humming
  The love song while you roam--
Joy, joy, the boys are coming home--
  Our boys are coming home!

(CHORUS)

4.
And yet -- oh keenest sorrow!
  They're coming, but not all;
Full many a dark to-morrow
  Shall wear its sable pall.
For thousands who are sleeping
  Beneath the empurpled loam,
Woe! woe! for those we're weeping
  Who never will come home!

(CHORUS)

5.
O sad heart, hush thy grieving,
  Wait but a little while!
With hoping and believing
  Thy woe and fear beguile,
Wait for the joyous meeting
  Beyond the starry dome,
For there our boys are waiting
  To bid us welcome home.

CHORUS (5th time only)
To bid us welcome home, welcome home, welcome home,
  To bid us welcome home,
For there our boys are waiting,
  To bid us welcome home.