INTRODUCTORY.
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incident to the far West. These songs were, and some of them doubtless still are, sung about the camp-fires of the cavalry; while others were for the recruiting service, and ofttimes effectively served the intended purpose, inducing many a brave fellow to enlist under the flag of his country. A favorite one was called "The Light Dragoon." It was dedicated to Lieut. A. R. Johnston, and published, if we mistake not, by the old firm of Firth and Hall, of New York, in 1841. Although the dragoon branch of the service has been abolished and the cavalry substituted in its stead, this song, with its dashing chorus, has not been allowed to pass away. It read as follows:—
THE LIGHT DRAGOON.
I.
Good cheer, my steed,
Let thy headlong speed,
Dash the dew from the prairie grass,
Shrink not, my horse,
Let the hills fall back,
As the ranks of our squadrons pass.
Then up, gallant steed, the wild wind's speed
Is but slow to thy headlong flight,
And we'll rein up soon, and the light dragoon,
With his charger will sleep to-night.
Let thy headlong speed,
Dash the dew from the prairie grass,
Shrink not, my horse,
Let the hills fall back,
As the ranks of our squadrons pass.
Then up, gallant steed, the wild wind's speed
Is but slow to thy headlong flight,
And we'll rein up soon, and the light dragoon,
With his charger will sleep to-night.
II.
At the fall of night,
In the gray twilight,
When I've combed thy tangled mane,
In the gray twilight,
When I've combed thy tangled mane,
