[Instrumental Intro]

[Intro]
In July, eighteen sixty-three (1863)
A nation torn in tragedy
A trick of fate, two great armies merge
Gods of war at Gettysburg
Devastation lies ahead
Fifty thousand bodies litter the land
Hell rages three full days
The Reaper sows
And there's a Devil to pay

[Instrumental Break]

[Verse 1]
The pressure's on and the rebs attack
The yanks must hold, they can't fall back
Just two brigades, two thousand strong
Against twenty thousand
They can't hold long
General Reynolds makes his way
Expect no mercy from the iron brigade
Until he shows they're on their own
But Buford's men have a will of stone
Bayonets gleam in the morning sun
Smoke and fire
Belching from their guns
Another volley and again they strike
Thousands more coming
Down Chambersburg Pike
[Chorus]
This tragedy and what it brings
All the devastation
(The Reaper has his way)
Men will kill, blood will spill
To preserve the nation
(There's the Devil to pay)

This tragedy and what it brings
All the devastation
(The Reaper has his way)
Men will kill, blood will spill
To preserve the nation
(There's the Devil to pay)

[Verse 2]
South of town
Down the Emmitsburg Road
The first corps are starting to show
For Buford's men
They're here just in time
The desperate need
To strengthen the line
Bodies dropping, the blue and the grey
Muskets fire and cannons blaze
The Union fights, defending the town
But they're outnumbered
And losing ground
From the north and the west
More rebels arrive
Thousands more and the fight multiplies
McPherson Ridge
And the black hats strike
A rebel sharpshooter
Takes Reynolds's life
[Chorus]
This tragedy and what it brings
All the devastation
(The Reaper has his way)
Men will kill, blood will spill
To preserve the nation
(There's the Devil to pay)

This tragedy and what it brings
All the devastation
(The Reaper has his way)
Men will kill, blood will spill
To preserve the nation
(There's the Devil to pay)

[Instrumental Bridge]

[Verse 3]
Attack, attack
General Lee gives command
They're overwhelmed
The situation demands
The federals retreat and
Rush out of town
But they are fortified and
Saved the high ground
Day ends in victory for the south
Lee's as convinced
As God's will is profound
They are invincible
And their cause is just
But Longstreet is cautious
And lacking in trust
Across the way the Union digs in
The round tops, Cemetery Ridge
And out to Culp's Hill
The lines are strong
No denying they'll stay
When the confederates strike
There'll be the Devil to pay
[Chorus]
This tragedy and what it brings
All the devastation
(The Reaper has his way)
Men will kill, blood will spill
To preserve the nation
(There's the Devil to pay)
This tragedy and what it brings
All the devastation
(The Reaper has his way)
Men will kill, blood will spill
To preserve the nation
(There's the Devil to pay)

This tragedy and what it brings
All the devastation
(The Reaper has his way)
Men will kill, blood will spill
To preserve the nation
(There's the Devil to pay)
This tragedy and what it brings
All the devastation
(The Reaper has his way)
Men will kill, blood will spill
To preserve the nation
(There's the Devil to pay)

[Trumpet and Drums Outro]