Donelson Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BCBDCCCCCDCC CCCCCEE FGHBIJIJJKLKMLM LELLEE NNCC CCECCEOPPCCCC CEQRQCSCCEJJCC CTAOEAHEETFFUAUAEE AOMME ACJCCJJJJJJVJJCCCRRC JJAWWAXXYYZWA2CA2CA2 CB2B2CQJCJC JAAAJJAAEAE C2D2D2AAE2E2CCCJJCCC AF2CAG2NG2H2H2I2H2I2 J2J2CCC C C C E CE CCAAQK2 JJ CJJ JC JJ NCACCCXCXNNCCE2CE2CA CC LVLVTOE ACJEECJCCCCCCCEEOEOE TECCCCCCE2E2 D2CCD2CCEECCL2L2C M2CJCCJCN2CCA2TEA2CC CCJJCO2CO2LCLP2CP2J2 OJ2OJHJHCCSE CCCCNNQ2Q2ETR2R2E AR2R2AOC C S A CACCCACCN2TCCE M2 ECCEQQJJS2S2S2S2S2JJ AAS2AAH2S2S2H2 M2 JCT2CT2 U2CU2JAAJ S2S2 ALS2S2LS2S2 CCCAACJJS2CS2AAS2S2 C J S2JS2V2R2R2W2H2H2S2S 2AX2S2X2S2 AA CCCCCCCCCCAA CJJCJCC CCS2CCS2LLS2

February	A
	-
	-
The bitter cup	B
Of that hard countermand	C
Which gave the Envoys up	B
Still was wormwood in the mouth	D
And clouds involved the land	C
When pelted by sleet in the icy street	C
About the bulletin board a band	C
Of eager anxious people met	C
And every wakeful heart was set	C
On latest news from West or South	D
No seeing here cries one don't crowd	C
You tall man pray you read aloud	C
	-
IMPORTANT	C
We learn that General Grant	C
Marching from Henry overland	C
And joined by a force up the Cumberland sent	C
Some thirty thousand the command	C
On Wednesday a good position won	E
Began the siege of Donelson	E
	-
The stronghold crowns a river bluff	F
A good broad mile of leveled top	G
Inland the ground rolls off	H
Deep gorged and rocky and broken up	B
A wilderness of trees and brush	I
The spaded summit shows the roods	J
Of fixed intrenchments in their hush	I
Breast works and rifle pits in woods	J
Perplex the base	J
The welcome weather	K
Is clear and mild 'tis much like May	L
The ancient boughs that lace together	K
Along the stream and hang far forth	M
Strange with green mistletoe betray	L
A dreamy contrast to the North	M
	-
Our troops are full of spirits say	L
The siege won't prove a creeping one	E
They purpose not the lingering stay	L
Of old beleaguerers not that way	L
But full of vim from Western prairies won	E
They'll make ere long a dash at Donelson	E
	-
Washed by the storm till the paper grew	N
Every shade of a streaky blue	N
That bulletin stood The next day brought	C
A second	C
	-
	-
LATER FROM THE FORT	C
Grant's investment is complete	C
A semicircular one	E
Both wings the Cumberland's margin meet	C
Then backwkard curving clasp the rebel seat	C
On Wednesday this good work was done	E
But of the doers some lie prone	O
Each wood each hill each glen was fought for	P
The bold inclosing line we wrought for	P
Flamed with sharpshooters Each cliff cost	C
A limb or life But back we forced	C
Reserves and all made good our hold	C
And so we rest	C
	-
Events unfold	C
On Thursday added ground was won	E
A long bold steep we near the Den	Q
Later the foe came shouting down	R
In sortie which was quelled and then	Q
We stormed them on their left	C
A chilly change in the afternoon	S
The sky late clear is now bereft	C
Of sun Last night the ground froze hard	C
Rings to the enemy as they run	E
Within their works A ramrod bites	J
The lip it meets The cold incites	J
To swinging of arms with brisk rebound	C
Smart blows 'gainst lusty chests resound	C
	-
Along the outer line we ward	C
A crackle of skirmishing goes on	T
Our lads creep round on hand and knee	A
They fight from behind each trunk and stone	O
And sometimes flying for refuge one	E
Finds 'tis an enemy shares the tree	A
Some scores are maimed by boughs shot off	H
In the glades by the Fort's big gun	E
We mourn the loss of colonel Morrison	E
Killed while cheering his regiment on	T
Their far sharpshooters try our stuff	F
And ours return them puff for puff	F
'Tis diamond cutting diamond work	U
Woe on the rebel cannoneer	A
Who shows his head Our fellows lurk	U
Like Indians that waylay the deer	A
By the wild salt spring The sky is dun	E
Fordooming the fall of Donelson	E
	-
Stern weather is all unwonted here	A
The people of the country own	O
We brought it Yea the earnest North	M
Has elementally issued forth	M
To storm this Donelson	E
	-
FURTHER	A
A yelling rout	C
Of ragamuffins broke profuse	J
To day from out the Fort	C
Sole uniform they wore a sort	C
Of patch or white badge as you choose	J
Upon the arm But leading these	J
Or mingling were men of face	J
And bearing of patrician race	J
Splendid in courage and gold lace	J
The officers Before the breeze	J
Made by their charge down went our line	V
But rallying charged back in force	J
And broke the sally yet with loss	J
This on the left upon the right	C
Meanwhile there was an answering fight	C
Assailants and assailed reversed	C
The charge too upward and not down	R
Up a steep ridge side toward its crown	R
A strong redoubt But they who first	C
Gained the fort's base and marked the trees	J
Felled heaped in horned perplexities	J
And shagged with brush and swarming there	A
Fierce wasps whose sting was present death	W
They faltered drawing bated breath	W
And felt it was in vain to dare	A
Yet still perforce returned the ball	X
Firing into the tangled wall	X
Till ordered to come down They came	Y
But left some comrades in their fame	Y
Red on the ridge in icy wreath	Z
And hanging gardens of cold Death	W
But not quite unavenged these fell	A2
Our ranks once out of range a blast	C
Of shrapnel and quick shell	A2
Burst on the rebel horde still massed	C
Scattering them pell mell	A2
This fighting judging what we read	C
Both charge and countercharge	B2
Would seem but Thursday's told at large	B2
Before in brief reported Ed	C
Night closed in about the Den	Q
Murky and lowering Ere long chill rains	J
A night not soon to be forgot	C
Reviving old rheumatic pains	J
And longings for a cot	C
	-
No blankets overcoats or tents	J
Coats thrown aside on the warm march here	A
We looked not then for changeful cheer	A
Tents coats and blankets too much care	A
No fires a fire a mark presents	J
Near by the trees show bullet dents	J
Rations were eaten cold and raw	A
The men well soaked come snow and more	A
A midnight sally Small sleeping done	E
But such is war	A
No matter we'll have Fort Donelson	E
	-
Ugh ugh	C2
'Twill drag along drag along	D2
Growled a cross patriot in the throng	D2
His battered umbrella like an ambulance cover	A
Riddled with bullet holes spattered all over	A
Hurrah for Grant cried a stripling shrill	E2
Three urchins joined him with a will	E2
And some of taller stature cheered	C
Meantime a Copperhead passed he sneered	C
Win or lose he pausing said	C
Caps fly the same all boys mere boys	J
Any thing to make a noise	J
Like to see the list of the dead	C
These 'craven Southerners' hold out	C
Ay ay they'll give you many a bout	C
We'll beat in the end sir	A
Firmly said one in staid rebuke	F2
A solid merchant square and stout	C
And do you think it that way tend sir	A
Asked the lean Cooperhead with a look	G2
Of splenetic pity Yes I do	N
His yellow death's head the croaker shook	G2
The country's ruined that I know	H2
A shower of broken ice and snow	H2
In lieu of words confuted him	I2
They saw him hustled round the corner go	H2
And each by stander said Well suited him	I2
	-
Next day another crowd was seen	J2
In the dark weather's sleety spleen	J2
Bald headed to the storm came out	C
A man who 'mid a joyous shout	C
Silently posted this brief sheet	C
	-
GLORIOUS VICTORY OF THE FLEET	C
	-
FRIDAY'S GREAT EVENT	C
	-
THE ENEMY'S WATER BATTERIES BEAT	C
	-
WE SILENCED EVERY GUN	E
	-
THE OLD COMMODORE'S COMPLIMENTS SENT	C
PLUMP INTO DONELSON	E
	-
Well well go on exclaimed the crowd	C
To him who thus much read aloud	C
That's all he said What nothing more	A
Enough for a cheer though hip hurrah	A
But here's old Baldy come again	Q
More news And now a different strain	K2
	-
Our own reporter a dispatch compiles	J
As best he may from varied sources	J
	-
Large re enforcements have arrived	C
Munitions men and horses	J
For Grant and all debarked with stores	J
	-
The enemy's field works extend six miles	J
The gate still hid so well contrived	C
	-
Yesterday stung us frozen shores	J
Snow clad and through the drear defiles	J
	-
And over the desolate ridges blew	N
A Lapland wind	C
The main affair	A
Was a good two hours' steady fight	C
Between our gun boats and the Fort	C
The Louisville's wheel was smashed outright	C
A hundred and twenty eight pound ball	X
Came planet like through a starboard port	C
Killing three men and wounding all	X
The rest of that gun's crew	N
The captain of the gun was cut in two	N
Then splintering and ripping went	C
Nothing could be its continent	C
In the narrow stream the Louisville	E2
Unhelmed grew lawless swung around	C
And would have thumped and drifted till	E2
All the fleet was driven aground	C
But for the timely order to retire	A
	-
Some damage from our fire 'tis thought	C
Was done the water batteries of the Fort	C
	-
Little else took place that day	L
Except the field artillery in line	V
Would now and then for love they say	L
Exchange a valentine	V
The old sharpshooting going on	T
Some plan afoot as yet unknown	O
So Friday closed round Donelson	E
	-
LATER	A
Great suffering through the night	C
A stinging one Our heedless boys	J
Were nipped like blossoms Some dozen	E
Hapless wounded men were frozen	E
During day being struck down out of sight	C
And help cries drowned in roaring noise	J
They were left just where the skirmish shifted	C
Left in dense underbrush now drifted	C
Some seeking to crawl in crippled plight	C
So stiffened perished	C
Yet in spite	C
Of pangs for these no heart is lost	C
Hungry and clothing stiff with frost	C
Our men declare a nearing sun	E
Shall see the fall of Donelson	E
And this they say yet not disown	O
The dark redoubts round Donelson	E
And ice glazed corpses each a stone	O
A sacrifice to Donelson	E
They swear it and swerve not gazing on	T
A flag deemed black flying from Donelson	E
Some of the wounded in the wood	C
Were cared for by the foe last night	C
Though he could do them little needed good	C
Himself being all in shivering plight	C
The rebel is wrong but human yet	C
He's got a heart and thrusts a bayonet	C
He gives us battle with wondrous will	E2
The bluff's a perverted Bunker Hill	E2
	-
The stillness stealing through the throng	D2
The silent thought and dismal fear revealed	C
They turned and went	C
Musing on right and wrong	D2
And mysteries dimly sealed	C
Breasting the storm in daring discontent	C
The storm whose black flag showed in heaven	E
As if to say no quarter there was given	E
To wounded men in wood	C
Or true hearts yearning for the good	C
All fatherless seemed the human soul	L2
But next day brought a bitterer bowl	L2
On the bulletin board this stood	C
	-
Saturday morning at A M	M2
A stir within the Fort betrayed	C
That the rebels were getting under arms	J
Some plot these early birds had laid	C
But a lancing sleet cut him who stared	C
Into the storm After some vague alarms	J
Which left our lads unscared	C
Out sallied the enemy at dim of dawn	N2
With cavalry and artillery and went	C
In fury at our environment	C
Under cover of shot and shell	A2
Three columns of infantry rolled on	T
Vomited out of Donelson	E
Rolled down the slopes like rivers of hell	A2
Surged at our line and swelled and poured	C
Like breaking surf But unsubmerged	C
Our men stood up except where roared	C
The enemy through one gap We urged	C
Our all of manhood to the stress	J
But still showed shattered in our desperateness	J
Back set the tide	C
But soon afresh rolled in	O2
And so it swayed from side to side	C
Far batteries joining in the din	O2
Though sharing in another fray	L
Till all became an Indian fight	C
Intricate dusky stretching far away	L
Yet not without spontaneous plan	P2
However tangled showed the plight	C
Duels all over 'tween man and man	P2
Duels on cliff side and down in ravine	J2
Duels at long range and bone to bone	O
Duels every where flitting and half unseen	J2
Only by courage good as their own	O
And strength outlasting theirs	J
Did our boys at last drive the rebels off	H
Yet they went not back to their distant lairs	J
In strong hold but loud in scoff	H
Maintained themselves on conquered ground	C
Uplands built works or stalked around	C
Our right wing bore this onset Noon	S
Brought calm to Donelson	E
	-
The reader ceased the storm beat hard	C
'Twas day but the office gas was lit	C
Nature retained her sulking fit	C
In her hand the shard	C
Flitting faces took the hue	N
Of that washed bulletin board in view	N
And seemed to bear the public grief	Q2
As private and uncertain of relief	Q2
Yea many an earnest heart was won	E
As broodingly he plodded on	T
To find in himself some bitter thing	R2
Some hardness in his lot as harrowing	R2
As Donelson	E
	-
That night the board stood barren there	A
Oft eyes by wistful people passing	R2
Who nothing saw but the rain beads chasing	R2
Each other down the wafered square	A
As down some storm beat grave yard stone	O
But next day showed	C
	-
MORE NEWS LAST NIGHT	C
	-
	-
STORY OF SATURDAY AFTERNOON	S
	-
VICISSITUDES OF THE WAR	A
	-
The damaged gun boats can't wage fight	C
For days so says the Commodore	A
Thus no diversion can be had	C
Under a sunless sky of lead	C
Our grim faced boys in blacked plight	C
Gaze toward the ground they held before	A
And then on Grant He marks their mood	C
And hails it and will turn the same to good	C
Spite all that they have undergone	N2
Their desperate hearts are set upon	T
This winter fort this stubborn fort	C
This castle of the last resort	C
This Donelson	E
	-
P M	M2
	-
An order given	E
Requires withdrawal from the front	C
Of regiments that bore the brunt	C
Of morning's fray Their ranks all riven	E
Are being replaced by fresh strong men	Q
Great vigilance in the foeman's Den	Q
He snuffs the stormers Need it is	J
That for that fell assault of his	J
That rout inflicted and self scorn	S2
Immoderate in noble natures torn	S2
By sense of being through slackness overborne	S2
The rebel be given a quick return	S2
The kindest face looks now half stern	S2
Balked of their prey in airs that freeze	J
Some fierce ones glare like savages	J
And yet and yet strange moments are	A
Well blood and tears and anguished War	A
The morning's battle ground is seen	S2
In lifted glades like meadows rare	A
The blood drops on the snow crust there	A
Like clover in the white week show	H2
Flushed fields of death that call again	S2
Call to our men and not in vain	S2
For that way must the stormers go	H2
	-
P M	M2
	-
The work begins	J
Light drifts of men thrown forward fade	C
In skirmish line along the slope	T2
Where some dislodgments must be made	C
Ere the stormer with the strong hold cope	T2
	-
Lew Wallace moving to retake	U2
The heights late lost	C
Herewith a break	U2
Storms at the West derange the wires	J
Doubtless ere morning we shall hear	A
The end we look for news to cheer	A
Let Hope fan all her fires	J
	-
	-
Next day in large bold hand was seen	S2
The closing bulletin	S2
	-
VICTORY	A
Our troops have retrieved the day	L
By one grand surge along the line	S2
The spirit that urged them was divine	S2
The first works flooded naught could stay	L
The stormers on still on	S2
Bayonets for Donelson	S2
	-
Over the ground that morning lost	C
Rolled the blue billows tempest tossed	C
Following a hat on the point of a sword	C
Spite shell and round shot grape and canister	A
Up they climbed without rail or banister	A
Up the steep hill sides long and broad	C
Driving the rebel deep within his works	J
'Tis nightfall not an enemy lurks	J
In sight The chafing men	S2
Fret for more fight	C
To night to night let us take the Den	S2
But night is treacherous Grant is wary	A
Of brave blood be a little chary	A
Patience the Fort is good as won	S2
To morrow and into Donelson	S2
	-
LATER AND LAST	C
	-
THE FORT IS OURS	J
	-
A flag came out at early morn	S2
Bringing surrender From their towers	J
Floats out the banner late their scorn	S2
In Dover hut and house are full	V2
Of rebels dead or dying	R2
The national flag is flying	R2
From the crammed court house pinnacle	W2
Great boat loads of our wounded go	H2
To day to Nashville The sleet winds blow	H2
But all is right the fight is won	S2
The winter fight for Donelson	S2
Hurrah	A
The spell of old defeat is broke	X2
The Habit of victory begun	S2
Grant strikes the war's first sounding stroke	X2
At Donelson	S2
	-
For lists of killed and wounded see	A
The morrow's dispatch to day 'tis victory	A
	-
The man who read this to the crowd	C
Shouted as the end he gained	C
And though the unflagging tempest rained	C
They answered him aloud	C
And hand grasped hand and glances met	C
In happy triumph eyes grew wet	C
O to the punches brewed that night	C
Went little water Windows bright	C
Beamed rosy on the sleet without	C
And from the deep street came the frequent shout	C
While some in prayer as these in glee	A
Blessed heaven for the winter victory	A
	-
But others were who wakeful laid	C
In midnight beds and early rose	J
And feverish in the foggy snows	J
Snatched the damp paper wife and maid	C
The death list like a river flows	J
Down the pale sheet	C
And there the whelming waters meet	C
	-
Ah God may Time with happy haste	C
Bring wail and triumph to a waste	C
And war be done	S2
The battle flag staff fall athwart	C
The curs'd ravine and wither naught	C
Be left of trench or gun	S2
The bastion let it ebb away	L
Washed with the river bed and Day	L
In vain seek Donelson	S2

Herman Melville

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