Oh have you heard the glorious news, is the cry from every mouth
Charleston is taken, and the rebels put to rout;
And Beauregard the chivalrous, he ran to save his bacon—
When he saw General Sherman’s Yanks, and “Charleston is taken!”

With a whack, rowdy-dow
A hunky boy is General Sherman
Whack, rowdy-dow
Invincible is he!

This South Carolina chivalry, they once did loudly boast
That the footsteps of a Union man, should ne’er pollute their coast
They’d fight the Yankees two to one, who only fought for booty
But when the mudsills came along it was “Legs, do your duty!”

With a whack, rowdy-dow
Babylon is fallen
Whack, rowdy-dow
The end is drawing near!

And from the “Sacred City,” this valiant warlike throng;
Skedaddled in confusion, although thirty thousand strong—
Without a shot, without a blow, or least sign of resistance
And leaving their poor friends behind, with the Yankees for assistance!

With a whack, rowdy-dow
How are you, Southern chivalry?
Whack, rowdy-dow
Your race is nearly run!
And again o’er Sumter’s battered walls, the Stars and Stripes do fly
While the chivalry of Sixty-one in the last ditch does lie;—
With Sherman, Grant and Porter too, to lead our men to glory
We’ll squash poor Jeff’s confederacy, and then get hunkydory!

With a whack, rowdy-dow
How are you, neutral Johnny Bull?
Whack, rowdy-dow
We’ll settle next with you!