Rallying Song Of The Sixteenth Regiment Iowa Volunteers*

* This song was written by a volunteer in the Sixteenth Regiment. He was a member of Captain Newcomb's company, and went from Dubuque.—Dubuque Times.

Air — “The Old Granite State.”

WE have come from the prairies —

We have come from the prairies —

We have come from the prairies

Of the young Hawkeye State ;

With our fathers' deeds before us,

And their starry banner o'er us,

For the land they rescued for us,

We will welcome any fate.

We have left our cheerful quarters,

By the Mississippi's waters,

And our wives, and sons, and daughters,

For the fierce and bloody fight;

But they will not deplore us,

With the foe encamped before us,

For the God who watches o'er us,

Will himself protect the right.

Chorus — We have come from the prairies, &c.

From the dear Dubuque we rally,

And the swift Missouri's valley,

And to combat forth we sally,

With the armies of the free;

Like the flood that flows forever,

We will flee the battle never,

But the waters of our river,

We will follow to the sea.

We have come from the prairies, &c.

Where our country's voice is calling,

Where the foeman's strokes are falling,

And the tide of war is rolling,

To the far and sunny South;

Where our iron boats are speeding,

And our dauntless columns treading,

With the Mississippi leading,

We are marching for its mouth.

We have come from the prairies, &c.

And whene'er our country needs us,

And where'er our banner leads us,

Never heeding what impedes us,

We will follow to the death;

For the patriot, must not falter,

When his country's foes assault her,

And profane her sacred altar,

With their pestilential breath.

We have come from the prairies, &c.

May our flag float on forever,

O'er a Union none can sever,

And may vile secession never

Spread its ruin through our land;

May our country's wrongs be righted,

And her children reunited,

And her flag no more be blighted

By the touch of Treason's hand.

We have come from the prairies, &c.

SOURCE: Frank Moore, Songs of the soldiers, p. 114-6