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Nine Blue-coats went a-nutting
Slyly in Tennessee—
Not for chestnuts—better than that—
Hugh, you bumble-bee!
Nutting, nutting—
All through the year there's nutting!
A tree they spied so yellow,
Rustling in motion queer;
In they fired, and down they dropped—
Butternuts, my dear!
Nutting, nutting—
Who'll 'list to go a-nutting?
Ah! why should good fellows foemen be?
And who would dream that foes they were—
Larking and singing so friendly then—
A family likeness in every face.
But Captain Cloud made sour demur:
"Guard! keep your prisoners in the pen,
And let none talk with Mosby's men."
