Lyr Add: The Forlorn Hope

Subject: Lyr Add: The Forlorn Hope
From: Fergie
Date: 29 Oct 04 - 10:01 PM

I found this Song in an old songbook. I thought it might be of interest to some researchers/readers.

THE FORLORN HOPE.

        A SONG OF THE IRISH BRIGADE.
        Air "Cruiskeen Lawn"
LET us lift the green flag high
Underneath this foreign sky,
Unroll the verdant volume to the wind.
As we hasten to the fight
Let us drink a last good night
To the beauty which we leave, boy, behind, behind, behind;
To the beauty which we leave, boy, behind.

Plant it high upon the breach,
And within the flagstaff's reach
We'll offer it the tribute of out gore.
Yes on that altar high,
'Spite of tyrants we can die,
And our spirits to the saints above may soar, soar, soar,
And our spirits to the saints above may soar.

Liberty is gone,
Now 'tis glory leads us on,
And spangles gloomy slavery's night,
If freedom's shattered bark
Has not foundered in' the dark,
Her wreck must see this beacon bright, bright, bright.
Her wreck will see this beacon bright.

Yes glory's shining light
Must irradiate the night,
And renew the flaming splendour of the day,
And freedom's sinking crew
Shall recover hope anew,
And hail the blazing splendour of this ray, ray, ray,
And hail the blazing splendour of this ray.

The green flag on the air,
Sons of Erin and despair,
To the breach in serried column quick advance.
On the summit we may fall.
Hand and hand my comrades all,
Let us drink a last adieu to merry France, France, France,
Let us drink a last adieu to merry France.

To Erin, comrades, too,
And her sunny skies of blue,
A goblet commingled with tears
With the fleur-de-lis divine,
The green Shamrock shall entwine
But the Ancient see the Sunburst rears, rears, rears
The Ancient See the Sunburst rears.

(The Sunburst was I believe the name of the Banner carried by the ancient Irish celtic warriors)
Fergus

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Forlorn Hope
From: Tansy
Date: 30 Oct 04 - 10:09 AM

How interesting. I collect songs about the various Irish Brigades.

When I first saw the title, I though this might be a song about The Donnor Party because one of the teams they sent off from the main group to try and cross over the Pass to get help from Sutter's Mill was called "The Forlorn Hope" most likely after this song. Eventually, The fForlorn Hope did make it over the mountain for help but not before they themselves had to succomb to cannibalism in order to continue. The entire story is best told in the book ORDEAL BY HUNGER which was written while some of the survivors still lived. Recent editions are available for those who are interested. It does not dwell excessively on the macabre aspects of the story but rather the entire saga of the Donnor Party.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Forlorn Hope
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Oct 04 - 06:26 PM

Tansy, like you I clicked on this thread thinking I'd found a song about the Forlorn Hope of the Donner party. It was a group of 15 members of the party, at the time known to the others as "the snowshoers" as they had scrabbled together some snowshoes. The designation "Forlorn Hope" was applied to them later. All five women in the Forlorn Hope survived but only 2 of the 10 men. I have "Ordeal By Hunger", but I don't consider it the best book on the Donner Party (though it's certainly worth reading). My favorite account is that by Bernard DeVoto in his book "1846: The Year of Decision." I also recommend "The Donner Party Chronicles," by Frank Mullen, Jr.,which is a day-to-day account with lots of photos, drawings, maps, etc. Also worth a read is "The Perilous Journey of the Donner Party," by Marian Calabro which pays special attention to the children and teenagers who made up about half of the 81 people who were trapped by the snows.

I've never heard of any songs about the Donner Party, though there probably are some. I'd be surprised if there weren't. Does the song above refer to any particular event, time or Irish Brigade, or is it just a general patriotic song?

Reiver 2

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Forlorn Hope
From: Ernest
Date: 31 Oct 04 - 08:02 AM

Did your book give any information about the song? Does it refer to a specific incident in history?