We live in hard and stirring times,
Too sad for mirth,
too rough for rhymes;
For songs of peace have lost their chimes,
And
that’s what’s the matter!
The men we held as brothers true,
Have
turn’d into a rebel crew;
So now we have to put them thro’,
And
that’s what’s the matter!
Chorus:
That’s what’s the
matter,
The rebels have to scatter;
We’ll make them flee,
By land
and sea,
And that’s what’s the matter!
2. Oh! yes, we thought our neighbors true,
Indulg’d them as their
mothers do;
They storm’d our bright Red, White and Blue,
And that’s
what’s the matter!
We’ll never give up what we gain,
For now we know
we must maintain
Our Laws and Rights with might and main;
And that’s
what’s the matter!
Chorus:
| 3. The rebels thought we could divide,
And Democrats would take
their side;
They then would let the Union slide,
And that’s what’s
the matter!
But, when the war had once begun,
All party feeling soon
was gone;
We join’d as brothers, ev’ry one!
And that’s what’s the
matter!
Chorus:
4. The Merrimac, with heavy sway,
Had made our Fleet an easy
prey__
The Monitor got in the way,
And that’s what’s the
matter!
So health to Captain Ericsson,
I cannot tell all he has
done,
I’d never stop when once begun,
And that’s what’s the
matter!
Chorus:
5. We’ve heard of Gen’ral Beauregard,
And thought he’d fight us long
and hard;
But he has play’d out his last card,
And that’s what’s the
matter!
So what’s the use to fret and pout,
We soon will hear the
people shout,
Secession dodge is all play’d out!
And that’s what’s
the matter!
Chorus: |