Enclosed please find a description of one of the victories of the Beast in our midst, on Sunday, October 12th, 1862, which seems to me to be worthy of a corner in your valuable Journal, in which the Constitution of the United States is supposed to have still some of the force of law. I remain, dear sir, with sentiments of highest esteem, your obedient servant, W. H. H., Sen.
Come, boys, and listen while I sing
The greatest fight yet fought
That time the hated Yankee
A real Tartar caught.
Twas not the first Manassas,
Won by our Beauregard,
Nor Perryville, nor Belmont,
Though Polk then hit him hard;
Nor was it famous Shiloh,
Where Sydney Johnston fell
No, these were mighty battles,
But a greater I will tell.
Twas fought on Sunday morning,
Within the Churchs walls,
And shall be known in hist'ry
As the battle of St. Pauls.
The Yankee Strong commanded
For Butler the abhorrd,
And the Reverend Mr. Goodrich
Bore the banner of the Lord.
The bell had ceased its tolling,
The service nearly done,
The Psalms and Lessons over,
The Lords Prayr just begun;
When as the Priest and people
Said "Hallowed by Thy name,"
A voice in tones of thunder
His order did proclaim:
"As this house has been devoted
To Great Jehovahs praise,
And no prayer for Abram Lincoln
Within its walls you raise,
Therefore of rank Secession
It is an impious nest,
And I stop all further service,
And the clergyman arrest;
And in name of General Butler,
I order furthermore,
That this assembly scatter,
And the Sexton close the door."
Up rose the congregation
We men were all away,
And our wives and little children
Alone remained to pray.
But when has Southern woman
Before a Yankee quailed?
And these with tongues undaunted
That Lincolnite assailed.
In vain he called his soldiers
Their darts around him flew,
And the Strong man then discovered
What a womans tongue can do.
Some cried, "We knew that Butler
On babes and women warrd,
But we did not think to find him
In the Temple of the Lord."
Some pressed around their pastor,
Some on the villain gazed,
Who against the Lords anointed
His dastard arm had raised.
Some said, "E'en to a Yankee"
We would not do such wrong
As to mistake another
For the gallant Major Strong;
So well look upon the hero
Till his face we cannot doubt,
While a stout old lady shouted,
"Do some one kick him out."
"Dont touch him," cried another,
"He is worthy of his Ruler,
For he fights with women braver
Than he fought at Ponchatoula."
But when the storm raged fiercest,
And hearts were all aflame,
Like oil on troubled waters,
The voice of blessing came
For though with angry gestures
The Yankee bid him cease,
The Priest, with hands uplifted
Bid his people go in peace;
And called down heavenly blessings
Upon that tossing crowd,
While the men their teeth were clenching,
And the women sobbing loud.
And then with mien undaunted
He passed along the aisle,
The gallant Yankee hero
Behind him all the while.
"You better bring a gunboat,
For thats your winning card,"
Said a haughty little beauty,
As the Strong man called a guard
"Tis only neath their shelter
You Yankees ever fight,"
Cried another spunky woman,
Who stood upon his right.
But the Major thought a cannon
(If his men could not succeed
In clearing off the sidewalk,)
Would be all that he should need.
And I guess his light artillry
'Gainst Christ Church he will range
When his "base of operations"
Next Sunday he shall "change."
Twas thus the tyrant Butler,
Mid womens sobs and tears,
Seized a Priest before the altar
He had served for twenty years.
We know in darkest ages
A church was holy ground,
Where from the hand of tyrants
A refuge might be found;
And from the meanest soldier
To the highest in the land,
None dared to touch the fugitive
Who should within it stand.
Twas left the beastly Butler
To violate its walls,
And to be known in future
As the Victor of St. Pauls.
He has called our wives she-adders,
And he shall feel their sting,
For the voice of outraged woman
Through every land shall ring.
He shall stand with Austrian Haynam
Upon the rolls of fame,
And bear to latest ages
A base, dishonored name.
_________________________
David Upton