From the sheet music at the Library of Congress. No particular flood is identified. The sheet music was published by S. Brainard’s Sons, of Cleveland and Chicago.


LOST IN THE FLOOD
By Charlie Eastman, 1884

1. The flood’s angry waves went dashing thro’ the vale,
And swept our homes, like chaff, away!
No weak human hand could stop its angry course,
As it rose from day to day!
The homes that we lov’d, oh, where are they,
And treasures no wealth can restore?
All lost in the flood that came so swiftly on,
And we ne’er shall see them more.

CHORUS: Lost in the flood, lost in the flood,
The homes that we lov’d so well! (So well!)*
Oh, dark was the sky, wild raged the storm,
Thro’ the valley where we loved to dwell.

2. We were homeless and poor, and knew not where to go;
We had no shelter, warmth or food;
We fled from the dear, dear valley that we loved,
Fled before the raging flood.
May heav’n bless the ones who heard our cry,
And answered throughout all the land!
We ne’er shall forget that dark and dismal time,
When we fled, a homeless band!

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* The chorus is written in 3-part harmony. The echoed words are sung by some voices, not all.