The Battle of Bunkers-Hill
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A SPEECH
By General Washington, on his entering the Town of Boston, at the head of the American Army, after the British troops were by his skilful approaches obliged to abandon itAuspicious day, of happiness unmix'd!When this fair City, without blood-shed won,Receives to her sweet bosom, once again,Her free-born sons, of perseverance try'd,And noble fortitude, in deeds of arms.Now let the father meet his infant son,His virgin daughter, and long faithful spouse,And kiss away all tears, but those of joy.Now, let the ardent lover clasp his fair,New flush the red rose in her damask cheek,Light up the glad beam in her rolling eye,And bid all pain and sorrowing be gone.Oh, happy day – Shine on thou blissful sun,And not one vapour blemish thy career,Till from thy mid-day champaign, wheeling doThou in the western ocean go to rest.O happy town – Now let thy buildings smile,Thy streets run down, with silver floods of joy,And from thy temples, loudly, hymn and songSweep the high arches of resounding Heaven.Yes, fellow soldiers, let us bend to himWho gave us strength, and confidence of soul,To meet the Battle and fierce iron war,Urg'd on severe by the tyrannic foe,With deadly thunder, and mischievous arms.To him who with his tempest, bulg'd the deep,And their full hundred war-ships, on the bay,Chain'd, with his strong wind, to the North-east shore.The hand of Heaven, is visible in this,And we, O God, pour forth our souls in praise.O fellow soldiers, let our off'rings rise,Not in rich hecatombs, of bulls and goats,But in true piety, and light of love,And warm devotion, in the inward part.Let your festivity be mix'd with thought,And sober judgment, on this grand event.March on, and take true pleasure to your arms,You all are bridegrooms, to fair joy to-day.A MILITARY SONG by the ARMY:
On General Washington's victorious entry into the Town of BostonISons of valour, taste the glories,Of Celestial Liberty,Sing a Triumph o'er the ToriesLet the pulse of joy beat high.IIHeaven this day hath foil'd the manyFallacies of George their King,Let the echo reach Britan'y,Bid her mountain summits ring.IIISee yon Navy swell the bosom,Of the late enraged sea,Where e'er they go we shall oppose them,Sons of valour must be free.IVShould they touch at fair Rhode-Island,There to combat with the brave,Driven, from each hill, and high-land,They shall plough the purple wave.VShould they thence, to fair Virgin'yBend a squadron to Dunmore,Still with fear and ignominy,They shall quit the hostile shore.VITo Carolina or to Georg'y,Should they next advance their fame,This land of heroes shall disgorge theSons of tyranny and shame.VIILet them rove to climes far distant,Situate under Arctic skies,Call on Hessian troops assistant,And the Savages to rise.VIIIBoast of wild brigades from Russia,To fix down the galling chain,Canada and Nova Scotia,Shall discharge these hordes again.IXIn New-York State rejoin'd by Clinton,Should their standards mock the air,Many a surgeon shall put lint onWounds of death received there.XWar, fierce war, shall break their forces,Nerves of tory men shall fail,Seeing Howe with alter'd courses,Bending to the western gale.XIThus, from every bay of ocean,Flying back, with sails unfurl'd,Tost with ever-troubl'd motion,They shall quit this smiling world.XIILike Satan banished from Heaven,Never see the smiling shore,From this land so happy, driven,Never stain its bosom more.The End1
Burk wrote another play, "Female Patriotism; or, The Death of Joan d'Arc," given a New York production in 1798. An interesting letter from Burk to J. Hodgkinson, who produced his "Bunker Hill," is to be found in Dunlap's "The American Theatre" (London, 1833, i, 313). The play has been reissued by the Dunlap Society (1891, no. 15), and edited, with an introduction by Brander Matthews.
2
Philadelphia:/Printed by Joseph Crukshank, for R. Aitken,/Bookseller, Opposite the London-Coffee-/House, in Front-Street./M,DCC,LXXII./
3
The students of Princeton have not revived the "Battle of Bunkers-Hill," but they point still with some pride to the ivy which was planted by the class of 1771.
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The/Battle/of/Bunkers-Hill./A Dramatic Piece,/of Five Acts,/in Heroic Measure. /By a Gentleman of Maryland./ – Pulcrumque mori succurrit in armis./Virgil./ – 'Tis glorious to die in Battle. – /Philadelphia:/Printed and Sold by Robert Bell, in Third-Street./MDCCLXXVI./