Sons of Liberty

O Fare you well sweet Ireland, whom I shall see more,
My heart is almost bleeding to leave this native shore.
The king he has commanded that we shall sail away
To fight the boys of Liberty in North Amerikee.

It was early in next morning, just at the break of day,
We hoisted British colors and anchored in Yorks Bay.
The sails a-being a-lassered they spread abroad to dry.
The Irish heroes landing, nut the Lord knows who must die.

The French, the Dutch, the .Spaniard, they proved so cruelly
To use our Irish heroes for such barbarity.
They sent on their grape-shot which cut our men aways
With the sword they showed no quarters in North Amerikee.

Through fields of blood we waded where the cannons loudly roar:
And a many a gallant soldier a-bleeding in his gore,
And it's many a gallant commander it's on the field did lay
That was both killed and wounded by the Sons of Liberty.

Your hearts would have melted with pity to have seen the soldiers' wives
A-hunting for their dead husbands and the melancholy cries,
And the children crying: Mother, we surely rue the day
When we came for to lose our father dear in the North of Amerikee

Here's an end to my ditty, my song is at an end,
Here's a health to General Washington and all of his bold men.
God help a man protect him that is ny land or sea,
For he had boys who feared no noise and Sons of Liberty

from English Folks Songs in the Southern Appalachians, Sharp
Collected from Mrs Townsley, Pineville, KY 1917
DT #396
Laws J13
RG