Fight mit Sigel!

[Rmhisteach]

I GOES TO FIGHT MIT SIGEL
Words by F. Poole
Music: The Girl I Left Behind Me


I've come shust now to tells you how,
I goes mit regimentals,
To schlauch dem voes of Liberty,
Like dem old Continentals,
Vot fights mit England long ago,
To save der Yankee Eagle;
Und now I gets my sojer clothes;
I'm going to fight mit Sigel.

Ven I comes from der Deutsche Countree,
I vorks somedimes at baking;
Den I keeps a lager beer saloon,
Und den I goes shoe-making;
But now I was a sojer been
To save der Yankee Eagle,
To schlauch dem tam secession volks,
I goes to fight mit Sigel.

I gets ein tam big rifle guns,
Und puts him to mine shoulder,
Den march so bold like a big jackhorse,
Und may been someding bolder;
I goes off mit de volunteers
To save der Yankee Eagle;
To give dem Rebel vellers fits.
I goes to fight mit Sigel.

Dem Deutschen mens mit Sigel's band
At fighting have no rival;
Und ven Cheff Davis mens ve meet,
Ve schlauch em like de tuyvil.
Dere's only von ting vot I fear,
Ven pattling for der Eagle,
I vont get not no lager beer,
Ven I goes to fight mit Sigel.

For rations dey gives salty pork,
I dinks dat was a great sell;
I petter likes de saurkraut,
Der Schvitzer-kase und bretzel.
If Fighting Joe will give us dem,
Ve'll save der Yankee Eagle,
Und I'll put mine frau in breech-a-loons,
To go and fight mit Sigel.

[Pvt Schnapps]

If you’re interested in a song German soldiers in the ACW actually sang, you can’t go wrong with “Morgenrot”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMf-VI2aRbU

Or “Ich Hatt’ Einen Kameraden”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5j-9cCHkq8

There’s also “Hinaus in die Ferne”: http://www.rcaguilar.com/lieder/texte/inferne.htm

Alternatively, you might have an old 48er in your ranks sinking “Die Gedanken Sind Frei” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ckRH...eature=related or “Burgerlied” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoFuLb7qAs8

Finally, for another take on period caricatures of German soldiers, there’s this:

I FIGHTS MIT SIGEL
by Grant P. Robinson


I met him again, he was trudging along,
His knapsack with chickens was swelling;
He'd "Blenkered" these dainties, and thought it no wrong,
From some secessionist's dwelling.
"What regiment's yours? and under whose flag
Do you fight?" said I, touching his shoulder;
Turning slowly around, he smilingly said,
For the thought made him stronger and bolder;
"I fights mit Sigel."

The next time I saw him his knapsack was gone,
His cap and canteen were missing;
Shell, shrapnel, and grape, and the swift rifle ball
Around him and o'er him were hissing.
How are you, my friend, and where have you been,
And for what and for whom are you fighting?
He said, as a shell from the enemy's gun
Sent his arm and his musket 'a-kiting,"
"I fights mit Sigel."

And once more I saw him and knelt by his side,
His life blood was rapidly flowing;
I whispered of home, wife, children, and friends,
The bright land to which he was going;
And have you no word for the dear ones at home,
The "wee one," the father or mother?
"Yaw! yawl" said he, "tell them! Oh! tell them I fights"-
Poor fellow he thought of no other--
"I fights mit Sigel."

We scraped out a grave, and he dreamlessly sleeps
On the banks of the Shenandoah River;
His home and his kindred alike are unknown,
His reward in the hands of the Giver.
We placed a rough board at the head of his grave,
"And we left him alone in his glory,"
But on it we marked ere we turned from the spot,
The little we knew of his story--
"I fights mit Sigel."