Battle of Prairie Grove

Cat. #0125 (MFH #25) - As sung by Mr. Fred High, High, Arkansas on June 21, 1958

VERSE 1
Now, come all you sons of Iway
Come listen to my song
If you will but pay attention
I won't detain you long
It was at th gallant charge
At th battle of Prairie Grove
And we were southern rebels
Unequalled number were strowed

VERSE 2
Altho they out numbered us
We charged them up the hill
Our captain with good honor
He led us with goodwill
And volley after volley
We made our shots to tell
Till our brave and lieutenant general fell

(Omitted two verses, fraid he might make a mistake)

VERSE 3
How sorry was we next morning
To see those rebels wives
A hunting their dead husbands
With a many a solomen cry
And sisters finding brothers
Would wring their hands and cry
Says, O, dear bloody brother
For southern rights you've died

VERSE 4
O, now this battles over
And people rest from toil
We'll bury our dead heroes
Beneath the southern soil
We'll bury them in honor
While on our desparade
We'll place a board at each mans head
To show where he was laid.

This was sung by Mr. High at the Tenth Annual Arkansas Folklore Society meeting held at Prairie Grove, Arkansas.

Variants