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Mrs. Edward Gallagher (Catherine ) recorded at Chebucto Head Lighthouse, Halifax, Nova Scotia,1943

lyrics

The Chesapeake and Shannon - Mrs. Edward Gallagher [2:34]
AC: 2224 - MF NO: 289.29

Recorded: Chebucto Head, 1943. [In June, 1813, during the War of 1812, the American Chesapeake came out of Boston Harbour to fight the British Shannon. The Shannon was victorious and took the Chesapeake back to Halifax in victory.] See: TSNS p. 266.

‘Twas the glorious fourth of June,
At ten o’clock in the forenoon,
That we sailed out of Boston Bay,
That we sailed out of Boston Bay,
For to fight the Chesapeake boys.

The Chesapeake mounted forty-nine guns,
With four hundred and twenty of Columbia’s picked sons,
The Yankees thought they would never run,
The Yankees thought they would never run,
They being all picked Yankee heroes.

The Shannon mounted guns the same
With less men but of better fame,
To beat those Yankees it was their aim,
To beat those Yankees it was their aim,
To show them, Rule Britannia.
Up spoke our gallant Captain Broke,
Saying, “To beat those Yankees it is no joke,
Your guns sponge well and make them tell,
Your guns sponge well and make them tell,
For Yankees they don’t like the smell of British balls and powder.”

Bold Wallis being next in command,
So boldly on the deck did stand,
Saying, “Fire on brave boys, the day’s our own,
Since Bunker Hill brought forth a groan,
The Chesapeake is falling.”

We had but twenty minutes work to do,
While Yankee bullets around us flew,
We boarded her, down her colours drew,
We boarded her, down her colours drew,
And struck them to the Shannon.

credits

from The Helen Creighton Folklore Society Presents: Songs of the Sea, released May 24, 2023

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Helen Creighton Folklore Society Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

Honoring folklorist Helen Creighton (1899-1989), who collected and published traditional music and lore of Maritime Canada. The mandate of the Helen Creighton Folklore Society is to encourage and promote work that reflects the diverse folk culture of the Maritimes as exemplified by the work begun by Dr. Creighton. For more information visit our website at: www.helencreighton.org. ... more

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