How are you, boys? I'm just from camp and feel as brave 
as Caesar
The sound of bugle drum and fife has raised my 
Ebeneezer.
I'm full of fight, odds shot and shell, I'll leap into 
the saddle
And when the Yankees see me come, Lord how they will 
skedaddle!
cho: Hold your head up, Shanghai Shanks,
Don't shake your knees and blink so;
It is no time to dodge the act
Brave comrades, don't you think so?
I was a ploughboy in the field, a gawky lazy didger,
When came the conscript officer and took me for a 
sodger.
He put a musket in my hand and showed me how to fire 
it,
I marched and counter-marched all day. Lord, how I did 
admire it!
With corn and hog fat for my food, and digging, 
guarding, drilling,
I got as thin as twice-skimmed milk and was scarcely 
worth the killing.
And now I'm used to homely fare, my skin as tough as 
leather,
I do guard duty cheerfully in any kind of weather.
I'm brimful of fight, my boys, I would not give a 
"Thank 'ee"
For all the smiles the girls can give until I've killed 
a Yankee.
High private is a glorious rank, there's wide room for 
promotion;
I'll get a corporal's stripes some day when fortune's 
in the notion.
"tis true I have not seen a fight nor have I smelt 
gunpowder,
But then the way I'll pepper them will be a sin to 
chowder.
A sergeant's stripes I now will sport, perhaps be 
colour-bearer,
And then a captain--good for me, I'll be a regular 
tearer.
I'll then begin to wear the stars and then the wreaths 
of glory,
Until the army I command, and poets sing my story.
Our Congress will pass votes of thanks to him thast 
rose from zero;
The people in a mass will shout, "Hurrah! Behold the 
hero!"
(he fires his gun by accident)
What's that? Oh dear! A boiler's burst! A gaspipe has 
exploded!
Maybe the Yankees are hard by with muskets ready 
loaded.
Oh gallant soldiers, beat 'em back. I'll join you in 
the frolic
But I've a chill from head to foot, and symptoms of the 
colic.