We arrived late that night

On the first day of July

Waiting on the plans

Forming in God's hands

We had caught the news

That Buford's mounted crew

Found Henry Heth's patrol

And kept them at the grove

But Lee broke through

Despite more federal blue

The lines soon unhitched

And went south to the ridge

So we gathered on the slope

And thought with some hope

That dawn would bring calm

Time would prove us wrong

From St Paul's dwellings

To the great Fort Snelling

We volunteers who mustered there

Heeded our nation's call

Ready for the struggle

Come whatever tussle

We were primed to prevail

But willing to lose it all

Well, it was right around four

When Sickles was implored

To extend to the orchard

With his third corps

The move caused a leak

The center line was weak

Ripe for Hill's thousands

To overtake our flank

Hancock saw the mess

And ordered swift contest

Our boys would stave the tide

To buy the feds some time

We prepared for a charge

Wilcox's colors looming large

The specks on the horizon

Slowly coming into view

From Henry House Hill

To Sharpsburg's cruel fields

We volunteers who battled there

Heeded our nation's call

Ready for the struggle

Come whatever scuffle

We were primed to prevail

But willing to lose it all

Outmanned six to one

We prepared for our run

Coleville led the thrust

Bore us to the brush

Entrenched by the bed

We gave them our lead

Every man was resolved

To see their poise dissolved

The grays disorganized

We took them by surprise

But our numbers slowly dropped

We were ousted by the odds

Just a small forty seven

Returned in procession

Having paid our dues

We loyal union blues

From Cemetery Ridge

To Plum Run's last ditch

We volunteers who suffered there

Heeded our nation's call

Caught in the scuffle

Come whatever struggle

We were primed to prevail

But willing to lose it all