Of your loved and brave McPherson,
Who had like a fortress stood,

Welcome home!

Welcome, welcome! then you answered,

Put this vile rebellion down!
Dig the poisonous upas up,
Ere the tree is larger grown!

Welcome home!

Welcome, welcome! you the gallant Hood

! surrounded, And the prized Atlanta won; Quickly through the north it sounded, The good work that you had done.

Welcome home!

For that battle ask of Sherman,

What's the glory?
He will answer, “home elysian,
Robes of ermine you should wear!"

Welcome home!

Welcome, welcome from Fort Fisher,

You their giant ramparts battered,

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Till the fort was badly shattered,
And the flag of treason tattered!

Welcome home!

In the face of bristling cannon,

Grape and musketry,
When your bleeding ranks were thinning
On you rushed to crush the gray.

Welcome home!

One by one you took each traverse;

At Fort Anderson you halted, Then over its intrenchments vaulted, And won the works you had assaulted.

Welcome home!

Then cheer on cheer went up from all,

In one unbroken, deafening shout, When you saw the stars and stripes Float proudly from that bold redoubt!

Welcome home!

Welcome, welcome! We are thinking,

Of that long and bloody route,

When brave Sheridan just returning-
Made the rebels face about.

Welcome home!

Then you saw the flying columns,
Of the rebs all clad in

gray;
Then
you

cheered and cheered for Sheridan, Who heard you twenty miles away.

Welcome home!

From Kenesaw and Rocky Face,

Up the valley, down the coast,
You have conquered, won the glory;-
You the patriotic host,

Welcome home!

Welcome, welcome! Those were battles,

Which the world is proud to name;
Freeing all the human chattels,
Filling traitorous hearts with shame.

Welcome home!

Welcome, welcome for those battles—ask

Ulysses,

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133

What of honor you may know, He will answer, "home elysian, More than mortals can bestow!"

Welcome home!

Welcome, welcome! We have shrined you

In the temple of our hearts, With a golden cord entwined you, That no foe can thrust apart.

Welcome home!

Welcome, welcome! God has kept you,

All those weary days agone; Though of comrades he bereft you, He but gathered in his own.

Welcome home!

'Tis for the sleeping heroes In their distant graves,

, We the silent tears are weeping, While their blood-bought banner waves.

Welcome home!

'Twas saved by you in battles gory,

Now its sacred folds can never Traitors dare presume to sever, Lo! it waves now and forever.

Welcome home!