Poems (Ford)/Washington's Farewell to his Army
WASHINGTON'S FAREWELL TO HIS ARMY.
The Chieftain gazed with moistened eyes upon the veteran band
Who with him braved the battle's storm for God and native land;
At last the parting hour had come—from prairie, mount, and sea,
The glad shout burst from countless hearts: "Our land—our land is free!"
Who with him braved the battle's storm for God and native land;
At last the parting hour had come—from prairie, mount, and sea,
The glad shout burst from countless hearts: "Our land—our land is free!"
Then up from every altar rose a hymn of praise to God,
Who nerved the patriot hearts and arms to free their native sod;
The stormy strife of grief and gloom of blood and death, was o'er,—
The heroes who survived its wrath might seek their homes once more.
Who nerved the patriot hearts and arms to free their native sod;
The stormy strife of grief and gloom of blood and death, was o'er,—
The heroes who survived its wrath might seek their homes once more.
With bared heads bowed, and swelling hearts, they gathered round their Chief;
The parting day to them was one of mingled joy and grief;
They thought of all his love and care, his patience sorely tried,
Of how he shared their wants and woes, and with them death defied.
The parting day to them was one of mingled joy and grief;
They thought of all his love and care, his patience sorely tried,
Of how he shared their wants and woes, and with them death defied.
They looked back to that fearful night when 'mid the storm he stood
Beside the icy Delaware, to guide them o'er its flood,—
Back to red fields where, thick as leaves upon an Autumn day,
The tawny savage warriors and British foemen lay.
Beside the icy Delaware, to guide them o'er its flood,—
Back to red fields where, thick as leaves upon an Autumn day,
The tawny savage warriors and British foemen lay.
They thought of many a cheerless camp where lay the sick and dead,
Where oft that stately form was bent o'er many a sufferer's bed;
Well had he won the deathless love of all that patriot band—
Their friend and guide, their nation's hope, the saviour of their land.
Where oft that stately form was bent o'er many a sufferer's bed;
Well had he won the deathless love of all that patriot band—
Their friend and guide, their nation's hope, the saviour of their land.
He, too, saw all they had endured to break their country's chains—
Their naked footprints stamped in blood on Jersey's frozen plains,
The gloomy huts at Valley Forge, where winter's icy breath
Froze many a brave heart's crimson flow, chained many an arm in death.
Their naked footprints stamped in blood on Jersey's frozen plains,
The gloomy huts at Valley Forge, where winter's icy breath
Froze many a brave heart's crimson flow, chained many an arm in death.
And, looking on their war-thinned ranks, he sighed for those who fell;
It stirred the depths of his great heart to say the word "Farewell;"
He saw strong men, who, facing death, had never thought of fear,
Dash from their scarred and sun-browned cheeks the quickly gushing tear.
It stirred the depths of his great heart to say the word "Farewell;"
He saw strong men, who, facing death, had never thought of fear,
Dash from their scarred and sun-browned cheeks the quickly gushing tear.
He stood in the receding boat, his noble brow laid bare,
And the wild fingers of the breeze tossing his silv'ry hair,
While to his trusty followers, the sternly tried and true,
Whose sad eyes watched him from the shore, he waved a last adieu.
And the wild fingers of the breeze tossing his silv'ry hair,
While to his trusty followers, the sternly tried and true,
Whose sad eyes watched him from the shore, he waved a last adieu.
Earth shows no laureled conqueror so truly great as he
Who laid the sword and power aside when once his land was free,—
Who calmly sought his quiet home When Freedom's fight was won,
While with one voice the Nation cried: "God bless our Washington!"
Who laid the sword and power aside when once his land was free,—
Who calmly sought his quiet home When Freedom's fight was won,
While with one voice the Nation cried: "God bless our Washington!"