"Cheer Boys Cheer"

Favorite Song of Morgan's Men

Below are the lyrics of the song, "Cheer Boys Cheer" compiled after the war by H.S. Humphrey.  This was originally an English song, possibly taught to Morgan's men by George St. Leger Grenfell, a British soldier of fortune, that became a distinguished member of Morgan's staff with the rank of Colonel. The original English lyrics are given at bottom of the page.

Confederate Lyrics of Morgan's Men

 Thanks to Annette E. Wetzel for sending these lyrics:

  1.  Bring forth the flag, our country's noble standard;

Wave it on high till the wind shakes each fold out.

Proudly it floats, nobly waving in the vanguard;

Then cheer, boys, cheer! with a lusty, long, bold shout.

 

      2.  But as we march, with heads all lowly bending,

Let us implore a blessing from on high.

Our cause is just, the right we're defending,

And the God of battle will listen to our cry.

Cheer, boys, cheer! We'll march away to battle!

 

3.  Tho' to the homes we never may return,

Ne'er press again our lov'd ones in our arms,

O'er our lone graves their faithful hearts will mourn,

Then cheer, boys, cheer! such death hath no alarms.

 

Chorus:

(repeated after each verse)
Cheer, boys, cheer! We'll march away to battle!
Cheer, boys, cheer, for our sweethearts and our wives!
Cheer, boys, cheer! We'll nobly do our duty,
And give to the South our hearts, our arms, our lives.


Original English Lyrics

Thanks to Susan Carpenter for providing these lyrics:
 

 

1.   Cheer, boys, cheer! No more of idle sorrow;

Courage! true heats shall bear us on our way;

Hope points before and shows a bright tomorrow,

Let us forget the darkness of today.

 

2. Then farewell, England, much as we may love thee,

We'll dry the tears that we have shed before;

We'll  not weep to sail in search of fortune;

Then farewell, England, farewell evermore.

Chorus:
Then cheer, boys, cheer! for England, mother England,
Cheer boys cheer, for the willing strong right hand;
Cheer, boys, cheer!  There's wealth in honest labor;
Cheer, boys, cheer for the new and happy land.
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 Background sound, "Cheer Boys Cheer" midi file, copyright (c) 1998 Scott K. Williams, All Rights Reserved.
This Midi selection was custom made, by Dean Fowler of ReWEP Associates,  using the arrangement of the guitar, fiddle, banjo, and dulcimer. If you can not hear the background tune or receive a midi error, you must download a Cresendo Midi File Player plugin for your particular browser to play it. A free plugin can be downloaded from:
Cresendo Download Website.