Gettysburg: Charge Of The First Minnesota Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABC DDEEEFGHGHIHJJKJ LLKEEMNOEPEQE QRRSSSTTUUT EVUVEWXW XXYYYZA2ZZ YYB2YB2B2ZZC2C2 D2E2TF2F2KKC2C2EEVVE EE G2G2VH2H2VVG2G2EE

Written for and read at the Camp Fire of the G A R Department ofA
Minnesota National Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic atB
Minneapolis JuneC
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Ready and ripe for the harvest lay the acres of golden grainD
Waving on hillock and hillside and bending along the plainD
Ready and ripe for the harvest two veteran armies layE
Waiting the signal of battle on the Gettysburg hills that dayE
Sharp rang the blast of the bugles calling the foe to the frayE
And shrill from the enemy's cannon the demon shells shrieked as they flewF
Crashed and rumbled and roared our batteries ranged on the hillG
Rumbled and roared at the front the bellowing guns of the foeH
Swelling the chorus of hell ever louder and deadlier stillG
And shrill o'er the roar of the cannon rose the yell of the rebels belowH
As they charged on our Third Corps advancedI
and crushed in the lines at a blowH
Leading his clamorous legions flashing his saber in airJ
Forward rode furious Longstreet charging on Round Top thereJ
Key to our left and center key to the fate of the fieldK
Leading his wild mad Southrons on to the lions' lairJ
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Red with the blood of our legions red with the blood of our bestL
Waiting the fate of the battle the lurid sun stood in the westL
Hid by the crest of the hills we lay at the right concealedK
Prone on the earth that shuddered under us there as we layE
Thunder of cheers on the left dashing down on his stalwart bayE
Spurring his gallant charger till his foaming flanks ran bloodM
Hancock the star of our legions rode down where our officers stoodN
By the left flank double quick marchO
We sprang to our feet and awayE
Like a fierce pack of hunger mad wolves that pantP
for the blood of the preyE
Halt on our battery's flank we stood like a hedge row of steelQ
Bearing the banner of Freedom on the Gettysburg hills that dayE
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Down at the marge of the valley our broken ranks stagger and reelQ
Grimy with dust and with powder wearied and panting for breathR
Flinging their arms in panic flying the hail storm of deathR
Rumble of volley on volley of the enemy hard on the rearS
Yelling their wild mad triumph thundering cheer upon cheerS
Dotting the slope with slaughter and sweeping the field with fearS
Drowned is the blare of the bugle lost is the bray of the drumT
Yelling defiant victorious column on column they comeT
Only a handful are we thrown into the gap of our linesU
Holding the perilous breach where the fate of the battle inclinesU
Only a handful are we column on column they comeT
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Roared like the voice of a lion brave Hancock fierce for the frayE
Hurry the reserve battalions bring every banner and gunV
Charge on the enemy Colvill stay the advance of his linesU
Here by the God of our Fathers here shall the battle be wonV
Or we'll die for the banner of Freedom on the Gettysburg hills todayE
Shrill rang the voice of our Colonel the bravest and best of the braveW
Forward the First Minnesota Forward and follow me menX
Gallantly forward he strode the bravest and best of the braveW
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Two hundred and fifty and two all that were left of us thenX
Two hundred and fifty and two fearless unfaltering menX
Dashed at a run for the enemy sprang to the charge with a yellY
On us their batteries thundered solid shot grape shot and shellY
Never a man of us faltered but many a comrade fellY
Forward the First Minnesota like tigers we sprang at our foesZ
Grim gaps of death in our ranks but ever the brave ranks closeA2
Down went our sergeant and colors defiant our colors aroseZ
Fire At the flash of our rifles grim gaps in the ranks of our foesZ
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Forward the First Minnesota our brave Colonel cried as he fellY
Gashed and shattered and mangled Forward he cried as he fellY
Over him mangled and bleeding frenzied we sprang to the fightB2
Over him mangled and bleeding we sprang to the jaws of hellY
Flashed in our faces their rifles roared on the left and the rightB2
Swarming around us by thousands we fought them with desperate mightB2
Five times our banner went down five times our banner aroseZ
Tattered and torn but defiant and flapped in the face of our foesZ
Hold them We held them at bay as a bear holds the hounds on his trackC2
Knee to knee shoulder to shoulder we met them and staggered them backC2
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Desperate frenzied bewildered blindly they fired on their ownD2
Like reeds in the whirl of the cyclone columns and colors went downE2
Banner of stars on the right Hurrah gallant Gibbon is comeT
Thunder of guns on the left Hurrah 'tis our cannon that boomF2
Solid shot grape shot and canister crash like the cracking of doomF2
Baffled bewildered and broken the ranks of the enemy yieldK
Panic struck routed and shattered they fly from the fate of the fieldK
Hold them We held them at bay as a bear holds the hounds on his trackC2
Knee to knee shoulder to shoulder we met them and staggered them backC2
Two hundred and fifty and two we held their mad thousands at bayE
Met them and baffled and broke them turning the tide of the dayE
Two hundred and fifty and two when the sun hung low in heavenV
But ah when the stars rode over we numbered but forty sevenV
Dead on the field or wounded the rest of our regiment layE
Never a man of us faltered or flinched in the fire of the frayE
For we bore the banner of Freedom on the Gettysburg hills that dayE
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Tears for our fallen comrades cover their graves with flowersG2
For they fought and fell like Spartans for this glorious land of oursG2
They fell but they fell victorious for the Rebel ranks were rivenV
And over our land united one nation from sea to seaH2
Over the grave of Treason over millions of men made freeH2
Triumphant the flag of our fathers waves in the winds of heavenV
Striped with the blood of her heroes she waves in the winds of heavenV
Tears for our fallen comrades cover their graves with flowersG2
For they fought and fell like Spartans for this glorious land of oursG2
And oft shall our children's children garland their graves and sayE
They bore the banner of Freedom on the Gettysburg hills that dayE

Hanford Lennox Gordon



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