[Verse 1:]
A daring young corporal loved sweet Polly and
Polly was promised to the captain man
To the captain man
The corporal say "Polly, kiss me tenderly"
Polly say to the corporal "I hope the captain don't catch me
I hope he don't catch me"

[Chorus:]
And the captain marched his soldiers
And the soldiers sang a tune
And the corporal courted Polly
And the bugles played in the afternoon

[Verse 2:]
The captain say "I don't think Polly's love is true
He say "come here corporal, I wanna talk to you
I wanna talk to you
There's trouble with the Indians, you ride out and see
And if there's less than fifty, don't you bother me
Don't you bother me"

[Chorus]
And the captain marched his soldiers
And the soldiers sang a tune
And the corporal rode away
And the bugles played in the afternoon
[Verse 3:]
Next morning they found the corporal lying there on the ground
Forty six dead Indians lying there all around
Lying all around
The captain said "The corporal was so brave, you see
There wasn't fifty Indians so he didn't bother me
He didn't bother me"

[Chorus:]
And the captain marched his soldiers
And the soldiers sang a tune
And Polly cried for the corporal
And the bugles played in the afternoon