Virginia's Bloody Soil - Tennessee Ernie Ford

Come all you loyal unionists, wherever you may be

I hope you’ll pay attention and listen unto me

For well you know the blood and woe, the misery, the toil

It took to down secession on Virginia’s bloody soil

When our good flag, the Stars and Stripes, from Sumter’s walls was hurled

And high overhead on the forwardest walls the Rebel’s flag unfurled

It aroused each loyal Northern man and caused his blood to boil

For to see that flag, Secession’s rag, float o’er Virginia’s soil

Then from the hills and mountain tops there came that wild alarm

Rise up ye gallant sons of North

Our country calls to arms

Come from the plains o’er hill and dale, ye hardy sons of toil

For our flag is trampled in the dust on Virginia’s bloody soil

And thousands left their native homes, some never to return

And many’s the wife and family dear were left behind to mourn

There was one who went among them who from danger would ne’er recoil

His bones lie bleaching on the fields of Virginia’s bloody soil

When on the field of battle, he never was afraid

When cannons loud would rattle, he stood there

Undismayed

When bullets rained around him, he stood there with a

Smile

Saying, «We'll conquer, boys, or leave our bones on

Virginia’s bloody soil»

In the great fight of the Wilderness, where many’s the

Brave man fell

He boldly led his comrades on through Rebel shot and

Shell

The wounded 'round they strewed the ground;

the dead

Lay heaped in piled

The comrades weltered in their blood on Virginia’s

Bloody soil

The Rebels fought like fury, or tigers drove to bay

They knew full well, if the truth they’d tell, they could not win the day

It was hand to hand they fought 'em.

The struggle was fierce and wild

Till a bullet pierced our captain’s brain, on Virginia’s bloody soil

But above that din of battle, what was that dreadful

Cry?

The woods are all afire, where our dead and wounded lie

The sight to behold next morning would make the stoutest heart recoil

To see the charred remains of thousands on Virginia’s bloody soil

And now our hero’s sleeping with thousands of the brave

No marble slab does mark the place that shows where he was laid

He died to save our Union

He’s free of care and toil

Thank God

The Stars and Stripes still wave above Virginia’s soil