DIXIES SUNNY LAND

Come friends and fellow soldiers, come listen to my song,
About that rebel prison and how we endured so long,
Our wretched state and hardships great, no one can understand,
But those who have endured this fate, in Dixies sunny land.

When captured by the chivalry (cavalry?) and stripped unto the skin,
They failed to give us back again, the value of a pin,
Except some filthy rags of grease, discarded by their band,
And thus commenced our prison life, in Dixies sunny land.

The host of guards surrounded us, each one with loaded gun,
We were stationed in an open field, exposed to rain and sun,
No tent nor tree to shelter us, we lay upon the sand,
And side by side great numbers died, in Dixies sunny land.

What was our daily bill of fare, in that secesh (hell fire?) hole,
No coffee, tea, no sugar there, 'nor rest for mortal man,
But a pint of meal, ground cob and all, was served to every man,
For want of fire we ate it raw, in Dixies sunny land.

Our temper it was often tried, by many a threat and bribe,
To desert our glorious union, and join the rebel tribe,
Tho fain we were to leave that place, we let them understand,
We'd sooner die than thus disgrace, our flag in Dixies land.

How sad those weary monents seemed, as weeks and months rolled by,
And yet no tidings came to us, from loved ones far away,
While we lay to starve and die, upon the burning sand,
Away from friends and homes so dear, in Dixies sunny land.

When landed at Annapolis, a wretched looking band,
But glad to be alive and free, from Dixies sunny land,
Having gained our wasted strength, all dressed in union blue,
We'll pay them back our vegence dear, or die there bitter foe.

These are the words as I scribbled them from my great grandfathers book in 1956. As far as I know, which really isn't very far, this song has not been recorded. So, appreciate this song, research it more. CHEERS, Bob