Classic Poem

We are indeed mournful
about the Major of Achallader,
that he was missing from the roll
when the rest came home to us;
each man went to his own place,
and their half-pay is drawn by them,
while he hath been left behind,
stock-still upon the battlefield.

Thou wast a smart, stalwart chieftain,
when thou didst set out from this country,
at the head of the forces,
where thou gavest proof of thy leadership;
thou didst cross the dark-blue ocean,
whereon course is set by mariners,
on thy way to oppose the Frenchmen,
who were camped at every garrison.

Thou wast intrepid and daring
in every unusual difficulty;
going forward into the battles,
unflinching wast thou in arraying men;
this brought thee advancement,
and all would declare thou didst merit it:
thy courage and knowledge were such
as might suffice for a general.

For heroism thy spirit
was lion-like in majesty;
impetuosity united with pride
in time of demand or urgency;
firm hand behind a shield thine was,
as valiant as any known to me;
and in time of striking the hard blows,
thou wast not affected by horror.

Thou didst love the war weapons
with their trappings and rattle:
a slim, chased gun whose striker
never refused to spark for thee;
a thin, sharp blade of steel,
hard and strong for cutting;
after the lusty play of thy hand
thy foe would be disconsolate.

On the day of Kloster Camp battle,
when the shot struck the general,
he was wounded on the field,
and the rest left him bleeding there;
thou didst carry him to safety
'twas an act never to be regretted by thee:
when the court held a session,
in all matters, he was thy champion.

'Twas the day of Fellinghausen
that wrought disaster so speedily,
when the senior officer
in charge of those men fell:
'twas on picket duty thou wast —
more than others thou hadst the assurance
of being honoured by the nation
and the king, all thy lifetime.

Though thoughtless folk in these parts
would allege in their ignorance,
that in this affair Clan Diarmaid
had escaped without gash or cut,
if they looked at it squarely,
and only spake truthfully —
great is our loss through serving King George,
since ever this conflict began.

Gillespie was struck down,
the lead came whizzing to him,
where he could not see the foe,
whom tall trees concealed from him;
then sank the spirits of the party
who were this day escorting thee:
their support had failed them,
when thou wast but a corpse to them.

When came the overseas gazette
which brought news of thy death to us,
mournful and sorely afflicted
were thy brother and sisters,
thy relations by marriage, in special degree,
and thy friends in addition,
and for this they had ample reason,
in view of the theme they pondered.

Thou wast a good man in peace time,
civil and affable,
and so noble of mind
that all thou didst say had distinction;
true to thy forbears, regarding
each age of them gone before thee,
thou wast hardy to stand fast in battle,
and, when kindness was due, affectionate.

Thou wast master of farmers,
and the ideal landed proprietor;
at the time of paying thee taxes
thy tenants would not be impoverished;
thou wouldst not see like a skinflint
that their stock was taken by force from them;
indeed, 'twas thy mind's desire
that they should grow on thy land like bracken.

Thou wast the heart of bounty,
the fount of sense and urbanity,
excelling in speech and discernment,
when thou wast among acquaintances;
a mighty drinker of wine wast thou,
whose hand would pay for gallons,
and a gay rider of a prancing horse
that would win a race speedily.
Towards the end of summer
thy enemies marked thee,
when they found thee away from the camp,
on the patrol that brought us disaster;
'tis a cause of sadness and dolour
to every one who claimed kin with thee,
to be hearing the tale of thy merits,
and not have thyself in life with them.