Billy Green

(Album: From Coffee House To Concert Hall - 1999)

Attend you all good countrymen, my name is Billy Green
And I will tell of things I did when I was just nineteen
I helped defeat the Yank invader, there can be no doubt
Yet lately men forget the name of Billy Green, the Scout

'Twas on a Sunday morn' in June when first we heard the sound
Three thousand Yankees on the road to camp below Greentown
Two Generals, Artillery and Company of horse
With many rank and file afoot, they were a mighty force

Says I to brother Levi, "Well, we still can have some fun
We'll creep and whoop like Indians to try to make them run!"
Which then we did both loud and long, much to the Yanks' dismay
They fired their 'pop-gun' muskets once and then they ran away

Well, first they plundered Stoney Creek and then John Gage's farm
They cut his fences for their fires although the day was warm
They bound my brother Isaac up and took him from his home
They pillaged all the countryside, no mercy there was shown

Then says I to myself, "Now Billy, this will never do
Those scurvy Yanks are not the match for Loyalists like you"
My brother's horse I quickly caught and put him to a run
And reached the British camp upon the heights of Burlington

Says I to Colonel Harvey, "Now, let there be no delay
If we're to reach the Yankee camp before the break of day
I'll take you through the woods by night where I know every tree
And ere the dawn you surely can surprise the enemy"

With men and guns we then set forth the enemy to seek
Across the beach at Burlington and then to Red Hill Creek
We came upon their sentries; we surprised them every one
One died upon my sword, and all the others off they run

And so it was we were in place one hour before dawn
We fired three times upon the camp and then we marched along
We fired again and charged as Colonel Harvey gave the word
And put the enemy to fight with bayonet and sword

With great confusion in the camp, two Generals were caught
The Colonel and his men made their artillery as naught
We killed over two hundred and we captured all the rest
Nor did we lose but eighty men; of them we had the best

And so it was I played the man though I was but nineteen
I led our forces through the night that this land would be free
I foiled the Yank invaders and I helped put them to route
So, let no man forget the name of Billy Green, the Scout