Billy Green

G


[Verse 1]

  Am                               D             G
Attend you all good countrymen, my name is Billy Green
                                     Am             D
And I will tell of things I did when I was just nineteen
  G                               Am              D
I helped defeat the Yank invader, there can be no doubt
    Am                            C     D          G
Yet lately men forget the name of Billy Green, the Scout.


[Verse 2]

      Am                             D                  G
‘Twas on a Sunday morn’ in June when first we heard the sound
                                      Am              D
Three thousand Yankees on the road to camp below Greentown
    G                       Am         D
Two Generals, Artillery and Company of horse
     Am                        C         D        G
With many rank and file afoot, they were a mighty force.


[Verse 3]

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Says I to brother Levi, “Well, we still can have some fun!
                                      Am               D
We'll creep and whoop like Indians to try to make them run!”
      G                                    Am               D
Which then we did both loud and long, much to the Yanks’ dismay
     Am                                   C         D   G
They fired their pop-gun muskets once and then they ran away!


[Verse 4]

      Am                                    D                G
Well, first they plundered Stoney Creek and then John Gage’s farm
                                    Am                   D
They cut his fences for their fires although the day was warm
     G                             Am                D
They bound my brother Isaac up and took him from his home;
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     Am                               C     D         G
They pillaged all the countryside, no mercy there was shown.


[Verse 5]

     Am                            D               G
Then says I to myself, “Now Billy, this will never do
                                         Am             D
Those scurvy Yanks are not the match for Loyalists like you”
   G                                    Am           D
My brother's horse I quickly caught and put him to a run
    Am                                C          D      G
And reached the British camp upon the heights of Burlington.


[Verse 6]

     Am                             D           G
Says I to Colonel Harvey, “Now, let there be no delay
                                  Am                  D
If we're to reach the Yankee camp before the break of day
     G                                         Am           D
I'll take you through the woods by night where I know every tree
    Am                          C        D      G
And ere the dawn you surely can surprise the enemy”


[Verse 7]

     Am                                 D        G
With men and guns we then set forth the enemy to seek
                                   Am               D
Across the beach at Burlington and then to Red Hill Creek;
   G                            Am                   D
We came upon their sentries; we surprised them every one
  Am                            C     D          G
One died upon my sword, and all the others off they run


[Verse 8]

    Am                             D           G
And so it was we were in place one hour before dawn
                                       Am              D
We fired three times upon the camp and then we marched along
   G                                  Am              D
We fired again and charged as Colonel Harvey gave the word
    Am                          C   D       G
And put the enemy to fight with bayonet and sword!


[Verse 9]

     Am                               D             G
With great confusion in the camp, two Generals were caught
                                   Am           D
The Colonel and his men made their artillery as naught
   G                              Am               D
We killed over two hundred and we captured all the rest;
    Am                             C       D       G
Nor did we lose but eighty men; of them we had the best.


[Verse 10]

    Am                                D             G
And so it was I played the man though I was but nineteen
                                        Am                 D
I led our forces through the night that this land would be free
  G                              Am                 D
I foiled the Yank invaders and I helped put them to route
    Am                            C     D          G
So, let no man forget the name of Billy Green, the Scout!


[Other]

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