Oh, were the bully soldiers of the First of
Arkansas,
We are fighting for the Union, we are fighting for the
Law,
We can hit a Rebel further than a white man ever saw,
As we go marching on.
Glory, glory hallelujah.
Glory, glory hallelujah.
Glory, glory hallelujah.
As we go marching on.
See, there above the center, where the flag is waving
Bright,
We are going out of slavery; were bound for freedoms
Light;
We mean to show Jeff Davis how the Africans can fight,
As we go marching on!
We have done with hoeing cotton, we have done with
Hoeing corn,
We are colored Yankee soldiers, now, as sure as you are
Born;
When the masters hear us yelling, theyll think its
Gabriels horn,
As we go marching on.
They will have to pay us wages, the wages of their sin,
They will have to bow their foreheads to their colored
Kith and kin,
They will have to give us house-room, or the roof shall
Tumble in!
As we go marching on.
We heard the Proclamation, master hush it as he will,
The bird he sing it to us, hoppin on the cotton hill,
And the possum up the gum tree, he couldnt keep it
Still,
As he went climbing on.
They said, Now colored brethren, you shall be forever
Free,
From the first of January, Eighteen hundred sixty-
Three.
We heard it in the river going rushing to the sea,
As it went sounding on.
Father Abraham has spoken and the message has been
Sent,
The prison doors he opened, and out the prisners went,
To join the sable army of African descent,
As we go marching on.
Then fall in, colored brethren, youd better do it
Soon,
Dont you hear the drum a-beating the Yankee Doodle
Tune?
We are with you now this morning, well be far away at
Noon,
As we go marching on.