AM WE SIGNED UP IN SAN ANTON
MY BROTHER G PAUL AND ME C
TO FIGHT G WITH BEN MCCOLLOCH
AND THE TEXAS INFANTRY AM
AM WELL THE POSTER SAID WE'D GET A UNIFORM
AND SEVEN G BUCKS A WEEK C
THE BEST RATIONS IN G THE ARMY
AND A RIFLE WE COULD KEE AM P
AM WHEN I FIRST LAID EYES ON THE GENERAL
I KNEW HE WAS A G FIGHTING MAN C
HE WAS E G VERY INCH A SOLDIER
EVERY WORD WAS HIS COMMAND AM
AM WELL HIS EYES WERE COLD AS LEAD AND STEEL
FORGED G INTO TOOLS OF WAR C
HE TOOK THE LIVES OF G MANY
AND THE SOULS OF MANY MORE AM
AM WELL THEY MARCHED US TO MISSOURI
AND WE HARDLY G STOPPED FOR REST C
THEN HE MAD G E HIS SPEECH AND SAID
WE'RE COMIN' TO THE TEST AM
AM WELL WE'VE GOT TO TAKE SAINT LOUIS BOYS
BEFORE G THE YANKEES DO C
IF WE CONTROL THE G MISSISSIPPI
THEN THE FEDERALS ARE THROUGH AM
AM WELL THEY TOLD US THAT OUR ENEMY
WOULD ALL BE G DRESSED IN BLUE C
THEY FORGOT G ABOUT THE WINTERS COLD
AND THE CURSED FEVER TOO AM
AM MY BROTHER DIED IN WILSONS CREEK
G C AND LORD I SEEN HIM FALL
WE FELL BACK TO THE G BOSTON MOUNTAINS
IN THE NORTH OF ARKANSAS AM
G AM G AM
GO G DDAMN YOU BEN MCCOLLOCH
I HATE YOU MORE THAN ANY MAN ALIVE D
AND WHEN AM YOU DIE EM
YOU'LL BE A FOOT SOLDIE AM R JUST LIKE ME EM
IN THE DEVILS D INFANTRY G
AM AND ALL THE WAY TO FAYETTEVILLE
WE CURSED MC G CULLOCH'S NAME C
AND MOURNED G THE DEAD WE'D LEFT BEHIND
AND WE WAS CARRING THE LAME AM
AM I KILLED A BOY THE OTHER NIGHT
WHO'D NEVER EVEN G SHAVED C
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHA G T I'M FIGHTIN' FOR
I AIN'T EVER OWNED A SLAV AM E
AM SO I SNUCK OUT OF CAMP
AND I HEARD THE G NEWS NEXT NIGHT C
THE YANKEES G WON THE BATTLE
AND MCCOLLOCH LOST HIS LIFE AM
G AM G AM
G GODDAMN YOU BEN MCCOLLOCH
I HATE YOU MORE THAN ANY MAN ALIVE D
AND WHEN AM YOU DIE EM
YOU'LL BE A FOOT SOLDIER AM JUST LIKE ME EM
IN THE DEVILS I D NFANTRY G
Steve Earle
