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    In this exhibit, the R. Stanton Avery Special Collections has selected items from their extensive collection of family papers and institutional records to pay tribute to students past and present.
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  • "An Ode On the Battle of Bunker's Hill"
  • An Ode On the Battle of Bunker's Hill Page 1  In recognition of the anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill, we present "An Ode On the Battle of Bunker's Hill," which was included in a notebook of Revolutionary War songs kept by Josiah Walton, a soldier from New Ipswich, New Hampshire. Josiah Walton was in Capt. Town's company, which went from New Ipswich soon after the Battle of Concord. Walton was badly wounded in the Battle of Bunker Hill, but recovered enough to later participate in the Battle of Bennington. He died June 21, 1831, at the age of ninety-five.

    The notebook was donated to NEHGS by F. Kidder, who received it in about 1850 from Walton's son. More information about the songbook and Josiah Walton may be found in Register 130 (1976): 182-85, and 5 (1851): 42.

    This little Book was given to me about 1850 by Mr. Walton son of Josiah Walton who was in Capt Town's Company of New Ipswich who were in the Battle of Bunker Hill where he was Very severely wounded & carried to his father house in Reading. He had previously served in the French War and was wounded near Lake George in 1756 or ___.

     

    1875
    F. Kidder

    An Ode On the Battle of Bunker's Hill Page 2
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    An ode on the battle of
    Bunkers-hill, Sung and acted
    By a soldier in a military
    Habit, with his firelock &c.
    In the same measure of with a
    Sea piece entitled the tempest

    Cease ___ Boreas blustering
    Roiler

    You bold warriors who resembles,
    Flames, upon the distant hill,
    At whos view the heroes trembles
    Fighting with unequal Skill

    Loud sounding drums with hoarse murmurs
    Rouse the Spirit up to war
    Fear not, fear not, tho' their numbers
    Much to ours Superior are

    Hear brave Warren bold commanding
    Gallant Souls and vetrants brave
    See the ennemy just landing
    From the navy-covering wave
    An Ode On the Battle of Bunker's Hill Page 3

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    Close the wings advance the center
    Engineers point well your guns
    Clap the maches, let the rent air
    Bellow to britannia's sons

    Now think you See three thousand moving
    Up the brow of bunkers-hill
    Many a gallant vetran Shoving
    Cowards on against their will

    The curllings volums all behind them
    Dusky clouds of smoke arise
    Our cannon-balls, brave boys, shall find them
    At each shot a hero dyes

    Once more Warren midst the terror
    Charge brave Soldiers charge again
    Many an expert vetrant warrier
    Of the enemy is Slain

    Level well your charged pieces
    In direction to the town
    They Shake, they Shake, their lightning ceases
    That Shot brought Six Standards down

    Maids in virgin beauty blooming
    On britannia's Sea girt isle
    Say no more your Swains are coming
    Or with Songs the day beguile

    For sleeping Sound in deaths embraces
    On their clay cold bed they lie
    Death, grim death, alas defaces
    Youth and pleasure which must die

    March the right wing, guard over yonder,
    Take the assailing foe in flanke
    The heroes spirit lives in thunder
    Close there serjents close that rank

    The conflict now doth loudly call on
    Highest proof of martial Skill
    Heroes shall Sing of them who fall on
    The slippery brow of bunkers hill
    An Ode On the Battle of Bunker's Hill Page 4

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    Unkindest fortune, still thou changest
    As the wind upon the wave,
    The good and bad alike thou rangest
    Undistinguish'd in the grave

    Shall kingly tyrants see the smiling
    Whilst the brave and just must die
    Them of sweet hope and life beguiling
    In the arms of victory

    Behave this day my lads with Spirit
    Wrap the hill top as in flame
    Oh if we fall, let each one merit
    Immortality in fame

    From the high ground like Vesuv'us
    Pour the floods of fire along
    Let not, let not, numbers move us
    We are yet five hundred strong

    Many a widow sore bewailing
    Tender husbands, shall remain
    With tears and sorrows unavailing
    From this hour to mourn them slain

    The rude scene striking all by standers
    Bids the littleband retire
    Who can live like Salamanders
    In Such floods of liquid fire

    Ah! Our troops are Sorely presed
    Slow ascends the smoky hill
    Wheel inward, let these ranks be based
    We have yet some blood to Spill

    Our right wing push'd our left surrounded
    Weight of numbers five to one
    Warren dead and gardner wounded
    Ammunition is quite gone
    An Ode On the Battle of Bunker's Hill Page 5

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    See the steely points bright gleaming
    In the suns firce dazling ray
    Groans arising, life-blood streaming
    Purple o'er the face of day

    The field is coverd with the dying
    Free-men mixed with tyrants lie
    The living with each other vying
    Raise the shout of battle high

    Now brave Putnam, aged soldier
    Come my vetrants, we must yield
    More equal mach'd, we'll yet charge bolder
    For the present quit the field

    The god of battles shall revisit
    On their heads each Soul that dies
    Take courage boys, we yet shant miss it
    From a thousand victories
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