"The American Ensign" 
(c1862; 21 Jan 1863; 17 Aug 1864; No. 855; M 1640.W; 25894)
Quartette
Words by Joseph H. Nichols
Music by Joseph Philbrick Webster

Chicago: H. M. HIGGINS, 117 Randolf Street
Engraver: Pearson
[Source: 200002213@LoC/IHAS-CWM]

NOTE:— This song was orginally written by Mr. Nichols when a
law-student in the city of New York, in November 1826, & was
first published at that time in the New York Statesman, under
the signature of N.  The author, in the lapse of years, had
lost sight of it, and had almost forgotten it, when a female
spiritualist in the the city of New York, during the summer
of 1856, on a public occasion, gave utterance to the song,
as one of the proofs of her supernatural inspiration.
  Since the rebellion began, it has gone the round of the
newspapers, anonymously.  Many of the lines have been altered
by the author since the piece was first composed.  He is now
an Episcopal clergyman of Wisconsin, and Professor of English
Literature in Paine College.

1. 
Flag of the stars whose light 
First cheered the nation’s gloomy night, 
And bade the world no more to sigh; 
Oh! can thy children gaze 
Upon their sapphire blaze, 
Nor kindle at the rays 
Which led the brave of old to die. 

[CHORUS: sung within each verse]
Hail! (banner beautiful and grand,)
Hail! (Float forever o’er our land.)
Hail! Hail! (hail!)
Hail banner beautiful and grand, 
(Float forever. ever,)
Float thou forever o’er our land, 
(forever, ever,)
Float thou forever, 
Float thou forever, 
Float thou forever o’er our land.

Hail banner beautiful and grand, 
Float thou forever o’er our land, 
Hail banner beautiful and grand, 
Float thou forever o’re our land.

2. 
Flag of the stripes of fire! 
Long as the bird his lofty lyre 
Can strike, thou shalt awake our song; 
We’ll sing thee round the hearth, 
In holy household mirth; 
We’ll sing thee when we forth 
To battle go, with clarion tongue. 

[CHORUS]

O’er mountain, prairie, lake and sea, 
Where’er thou float’st we’ll sing to thee! 
O’er mountains, prairie, lake and sea, 
Where’er thou float’st we’ll sing to thee!

3. 
Flag of the eagle! who 
Upon thy shining fields of blue, 
His fiery pinions boldly spread; 
Around thee we will stand, 
With our bright blades in hand, 
And swear to guard the land 
We love till life’s last drop be shed. 

[CHORUS]

How sweet, how beautiful is death, 
When for thy sake we yield our breath. 
How sweet, how beautiful is death, 
When for thy sake we yield our breath.

4. 
Flag of two ocean shores 
Whose everlasting thunder roars 
From deep to deep in storm and foam; 
Tho’ with the sun’s red set 
Thou sink’st to slumber, yet 
With him dost not forget 
To rise and make the hea vens thy home. 

[CHORUS]

Flag of the West be thou unfurl’d, 
’Till the last trump shall wake the world. 
Flag of the West be thou unfurl’d, 
’Till the last trump shall wake the world.