About the author
Frank Moore was a journalist and Revolutionary historian. He published a number of books on the American Revolution during his career in the mid-19th century, including Songs and Ballads of the American Revolution, Diary of the American Revolution and The Patriot Preachers of the American Revolution.
This song “was sung before General Sullivan and a few respectable gentlemen, at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, after the battle of Trenton.”
General Sullivan’s Song
HARK, the loud drums, hark, the shrill trumpet – call to arms,
Come, Americans come, prepare for war’s alarms,
Whilst in array we stand,
What soldier dare to land,
Sure in the attempt to meet his doom,
A leaden death, or a watery tomb;
We, Americans, so brave, o’er the land or the waves, All invaders defy, we’ll repulse them or die,
We scorn to live as slaves.
Recall the days, wherein our fathers bravely fought,
And crown’d with praise, they patriot glory sought,
Bid their high deeds inspire,
Bid Magna Charta fire,
Greatly they labor’d for our good
All sorts of tyranny withstood,
All these we despise, on our courage rely,
For what American so base would his country disgrace And from his colors fly.
No party spite, no more our measures will oppose,
For all unite against our insulting foes,
All then in chorus sing,
And let your voices ring,
Fill unto Sullivan the flowing bowl,
Hand it to each gallant soul,
Raise patriot flame, his glory proclaim
Who his sword boldly draws in his country’s cause,
And wins an endless name.
