Gardiner H 325. Tune and text from George Blake, St Denys, Southampton. Although 78 years of age Blake was a very fine and intelligent singer and this song is worth including if only for its tune which I find rather "handsome." The words are typical broadside stuff but in the mouth of a good singer can sound impressive. I find that young singer, when faced with a long song, tend to hurry the song along in case their audience get bored. I think this a great mistake because the listeners usually miss half the words, lose the thread of the narrative and do get bored; whereas if the full meaning is give to the text - and the singer sounds as if he is convinced at least - then the audience enjoy the performance. Incidentally, the tune is again a veritable patchwork of "folk-phrases."

A YANKEE MAN-OF-WAR.
(Published by Chas. Magnus, 12 Frankfort St. N.Y.)

Down by yonder valley, I carelessly did stray,
I overheard a sailor; unto his love he did say:
Susy, lovely Susy, I soon must leave this shore,
To fight against Jefferson Davis on the Yankee Man-of-war.

Johnny, dearest Johnny, do not go away from me:
The Rebels are as treacherous as any Portuguee;
With some deadly weapon, you may receive some scars;
Jolly Sailor, do not venture on the Yankee Man-of-war.

Susy, lovely Susy, the truth to you I'll tell;
The Stars and Stripes were insulted, and the Yankees know it well;
I may be crowned with glory, just like some valliant Tar,
In facing the forts of the Rebels, on the Yankee Man-of-war.

Taking out his handkerchief, and tearing it in two,
He said: here is one half of it, the same I'll give it to you;
May the bullets fly around me, and Rebel cannons roar,
I will fight against Jefferson Davis, on the Yankee Man-of-war.

A few more words together, and he let go her hand,
As the jolly Crew surrounded the Boat, she merrily rowed from land;
The sailor waved his handkerchief, and far away from shore
Susy blessed the Sailor on the Yankee Man-of-war!


YANKEE MAN-OF-WAR. No. 2
Written by M. Hogan.

As I walked out one evening, down by yon shady grove,
I over heard a Yankee Tar, conversing with his love;
Says he my dearest Sally, I am going to leave this shore.
To subdue the Southern traitors on a Yankee Man-of-war.

O Willie, dearest Willie, when you are far from me,
Fighting our national foes upon a Southern sea:
My heart it shall be with you, when you're gone from
me afar,
To subdue the Southern traitors on a Yankee Man-of-war.

Sally, dearest Sally, list to what I'll tell,
Our banner of Stars from Sumter's walls by traitors hands
has fell;
And this is why my own true love I am going to leave
this shore,
For to avenge the insult on a Yankee Man-of-war.

Farewell my dearest Sally, her Willie dear did say,
The ship is weighing anchor and I must haste away;
And quickly to the Union the Rebel States we will restore
Then for Union we will fight upon a Yankee Man-of-war.

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yankee man of war. a companion to the bold privateer [title]

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THE FENIAN MAN O' WAR

Down by Boston Corner I carelessly did stray,
I overheard a sailor lad these words to his love did say
Bridget, dearest Bridget, from you I must go afar,
To fight against cruel John Bull and the Fenian Man o' War.

Oh, Patrick, dearest Patrick, don't go away from me,
For the English they are as treacherous as ever they can be,
And by some cruel "dagger" you might receive a scar.
Oh, Patrick, dear, don't venture near the Fenian Man o' War.

When I think on the days gone by, my heart with Joy does fill,
To see the thousands of people all assembled on Vinegar Hill,
They were holding a prayer meeting for the dead who were buried of afar,
And you could hear the cannons roar of a Fenian Man o' War.

I was born in the Bogside, my boys, I hate these English laws,
My parents they were Irish and they died for an Irish cause;
If ever I go to visit them for thousands of miles afar,
It will be for dear old Ireland's sake and a Fenian Man o' War.

Oh, Bridget, dearest Bridget, the truth to you I'll tell,
The English were insulted and the Irish knew it well,
They might make me a captain instead of a common tar,
So I'll risk my life for Ireland's rights on board the Man o' War.

They both sat down together, then he arose to stand,
A Fenian crew surrounded them, which nearly roved to lands
Then Patrick raised a Fenian flag and waved it near and far,
And Bridget blessed her sailor boy on board of the Man o' War.

There is a basis in fact to this. James Phillip Holland, who went on to build the 1st fully capable submarines and found the Electric Boat Company, contracted with the Fenians to build a submarine called The Fenian Ram. It got built and some tests were conducted. The project was dropped, however, due to infighting and lack of money. Holland was from the County Clare.

THE YANKEE MAN OF WAR

(From the MS ballad-book of James Ashby of Holt County, secured for me in 1906 by Miss Welty. Ashby dated this entry 'May the 7, 1876.')

It's down in yonders meadow where I carelessly did stray,
There I beheld a lady fair with some young sailor gay.
Says he, 'My lovely Susan, I soon shall leave the shore
For to cross the briny ocean on the Yankee man of war.'

Young Susan she fell weeping. 'Young sailor,' she did say,
'How can you be so venturesome and throw yourself away?
For by the time I'm twenty-one I shall receive my store;
So, Wilie, do not venture on the Yankee man of war.'

'Oh, Susan, lovely Susan, the truth to you I'll tell;
The South she has insulted us, the North she knows it well.
I may be crowned with laurels just like some jolly tar;
And I'll face the forts of the rebels on the Yankee man of war.'

'How can you be so venturesome for to face the Southern foes?
For when they are far in battle, love, they never take a man,
And by some bloody weapon you might receive a scar.
So, Willie, do not venture on the Yankee man of war.'

'Oh, Susan, lovely Susan, the time will quickly pass.
Let's go down to the ferry house and take the parting glass.
My shipmates they are waiting for to row me from the shore,
And it's for America's glory on the Yankee man of war.'

The sailor took his handkerchief and tore it in two,
Saying, 'Susan, you may keep one half, the other I'll keep for you.
When bullets may surround you and the rebel cannon roar,
I'll fight for lovley Susan on the Yankee man of war.'

Then a few more words together; then she let go his hand.
The jolly crew surrounded him and rowed him from the land.
The sailor waved his handkerchief when far away from shore,
And Susan blessed her sailor love on the Yankee man of war.