Grandmothers Story of Bunker Hill Battle | Page 3

all torn and gory--shall I tell the fearful story, How they
surged above the breast-work, as a sea breaks over a deck; How, driven,
yet scarce defeated, our worn-out men retreated, With their
powder-horns all emptied, like the swimmers from a wreck?
It has all been told and painted; as for me, they say I fainted, And the
wooden-legged old Corporal stumped with me down the stair: When I
woke from dreams affrighted the evening lamps were lighted,-- On the
floor a youth was lying; his bleeding breast was bare.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
And I heard through all the flurry, "Send for WARREN! hurry! hurry!
Tell him here's a soldier bleeding, and he'll come and dress his wound!"
Ah, we knew not till the morrow told its tale of death and sorrow, How
the starlight found him stiffened on the dark and bloody ground.
Who the youth was, what his name was, where the place from which he
came was,
Who had brought him from the battle, and had left him at

our door, He could not speak to tell us; but 't was one of our brave
fellows, As the homespun plainly showed us which the dying soldier
wore.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
For they all thought he was dying, as they gathered round him crying,--
And they said, "Oh, how they'll miss him!" and "What _will_ his
mother do?" Then, his eyelids just unclosing like a child's that has been
dozing, He faintly murmured, "Mother!"--and--I saw his eyes were
blue.
"Why, grandma, how you're winking!" Ah, my child, it sets me
thinking Of a story not like this one. Well, he somehow lived along; So
we came to know each other, and I nursed him like a--mother, Till at
last he stood before me, tall, and rosy-cheeked, and strong.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
And we sometimes walked together in the pleasant summer weather,
--"Please to tell us what his name was?" Just your own, my little dear,--
There's his picture Copley painted: we became so well acquainted,
That--in short, that's why I'm grandma, and you children all are here!
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Hill Battle, by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
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