Ballad on the American War

When Guilford good our pilot stood An' did our hellim thraw, man, Ae night, at tea, began a plea, Within America, man: Then up they gat the maskin-pat, And in the sea did jaw, man; An' did nae less, in full congress, Than quite refuse our law, man.


 * Then thro' the lakes Montgomery takes,
 * I wat he was na slaw, man;
 * Down Lowrie's Burn he took a turn,
 * And Carleton did ca', man:
 * But yet, whatreck, he, at Quebec,
 * Montgomery-like did fa', man,
 * Wi' sword in hand, before his band,
 * Amang his en'mies a', man.


 * Poor Tammy Gage within a cage
 * Was kept at Boston-ha', man;
 * Till Willie Howe took o'er the knowe
 * For Philadelphia, man;
 * Wi' sword an' gun he thought a sin
 * Guid Christian bluid to draw, man;
 * But at New York, wi' knife an' fork,
 * Sir-Loin he hacked sma', man.


 * Burgoyne gaed up, like spur an' whip,
 * Till Fraser brave did fa', man;
 * Then lost his way, ae misty day,
 * In Saratoga shaw, man.
 * Cornwallis fought as lang's he dought,
 * An' did the Buckskins claw, man;
 * But Clinton's glaive frae rust to save,
 * He hung it to the wa', man.


 * Then Montague, an' Guilford too,
 * Began to fear, a fa', man;
 * And Sackville dour, wha stood the stour,
 * The German chief to thraw, man:
 * For Paddy Burke, like ony Turk,
 * Nae mercy had at a', man;
 * An' Charlie Fox threw by the box,
 * An' lows'd his tinkler jaw, man.


 * Then Rockingham took up the game,
 * Till death did on him ca', man;
 * When Shelburne meek held up his cheek,
 * Conform to gospel law, man:
 * Saint Stephen's boys, wi' jarring noise,
 * They did his measures thraw, man;
 * For North an' Fox united stocks,
 * An' bore him to the wa', man.


 * Then clubs an' hearts were Charlie's cartes,
 * He swept the stakes awa', man,
 * Till the diamond's ace, of Indian race,
 * Led him a sair faux pas, man:
 * The Saxon lads, wi' loud placads,
 * On Chatham's boy did ca', man;
 * An' Scotland drew her pipe an' blew,
 * "Up, Willie, waur them a', man!"


 * Behind the throne then Granville's gone,
 * A secret word or twa, man;
 * While slee Dundas arous'd the class
 * Be-north the Roman wa', man:
 * An' Chatham's wraith, in heav'nly graith,
 * (Inspired bardies saw, man),
 * Wi' kindling eyes, cry'd, "Willie, rise!
 * Would I hae fear'd them a', man?"


 * But, word an' blow, North, Fox, and Co.
 * Gowff'd Willie like a ba', man;
 * Till Suthron raise, an' coost their claise
 * Behind him in a raw, man:
 * An' Caledon threw by the drone,
 * An' did her whittle draw, man;
 * An' swoor fu' rude, thro' dirt an' bluid,
 * To mak it guid in law, man.