Illinois 7th Regiment by Bruce T. Holmes

When I began writing this, I set out to be politically correct, war is stupid. But I ended up wanting it to be a song which the men of the Illinois 7th Regiment would approve of. And they didn't think what they were doing was stupid. They were imbued with a sense of nobility and honor. In the end, the song found its own course.

The Illinois 7th Regiment
by Bruce T. Holmes

They tucked their bedrolls in the trees
Pulled on their tattered shoes
Then lined up in their companies
Dressed in their threadbare blues
They bowed their heads and bent their knees
May God's grace be with you
There were no heroes, only these
Determined to be true.

A general reined his horse about
Upon their battlements
He tipped his hat, began to shout
The sweetest compliments
He cried, "This is no accident
I knew this job took spleen
You're the Illinois Seventh Regiment
The best I've ever seen."

Beating drums, the Seventh comes
Bayonets are fixed and marching
Burning wind, smoke and din
Ragged breath, the line advancing
"Keep the line, banshees mine
We're all in this together lads
Step by step, steady lads
No one lives forever lads."

Uphill charge, bloody yards
Climbing through the shot and shell
Thudding sound, all around
One by one their comrades fell
"Keep the line, banshees mine
We're all in this together lads
Step by step, steady lads
No one lives forever lads."

Not one man made the ridge that day
Not one man turned to run
The line held true, they marched their way
Into oblivion.

They found themselves still in their lines
Amassed at Heaven's Gate
The mandolins of angels chimed
A song of God's estate
St. Peter lit the firmament
And paved the streets with dew
The Illinois Seventh Regiment
Was passing in review.