Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Poetry and Incidents., Volume 2.
Frank Moore, Ed.

31. going to the wars.

by Edward S. Ellis.

Clergymen are mustering
     Members of their flocks,
Satisfied they're able
     To inflict some knocks;
Sounding forth their doctrines,
     Clearing up the mist
From their eyes; their discourse
     Ends with “ ‘List! oh! ’ list!”

Editors are gathering;
     And the walls of fame
Soon will show their children
     Where they “carved a name;”
Every inland steamer,
     Every train of cars,
Bring their eager thousands,
     Going to the wars.

Tailors, clerks, mechanics,
     Shoemakers to boot;
Teachers tell their “ideas,”
     “Now's the time to shoot.”
Bronzed and honest farmers
     Say, “We're bound to jine,”
As the hardy fellows
     Fall within the line.

Students, doctors, lawyers,
     Make a sight sublime,
With the shoulder-hitters,
     “Coming up to time ;”
Officers and seamen,
     Salts and jolly tars,
All are now enlisting,
     Going to the wars.

Timid, blushing maiden
     Softly gasps, “My gracious!”
As her gallant lover
     Swears he'll shoot Jeff. Davis.
Proud and doting father,
     When he says, “My son,”
Hears his roguish youngster
     Whisper, “of a gun.”

Gallant-looking firemen,
     In their flannel shirts,
Reckon they can handle
     “Them ‘ere Southern squirts.”
Armies from the mountains,
     Armies from the hills,
Armies from the workshops,
     Armies from the mills;
Hosts of freemen rushing
     Round the Stripes and Stars;
Gracious! won't the Southrons
     Get their full of wars!