The Night Before Christmas - Gettysburg Edition

[Jim]

The Night Before Christmas – GDG edition


'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the park
Nothing was stirring, not even a squad of Rebel ghosts
Nor a single one of the Federal host
It was still as a graveyard late in the dark.

When what to my wandering eyes should appear,
Two ghostly armies without any fear.
The Weapons were stacked all in a neat row,
Horses were hitched, and campfires did glow.


The soldiers were nestled all snug on the ground,
While visions of victory was all that could be found.
And Meade in his kepi, and Lee in his tent,
Had just settled down for a long, bloody event.

When out on the battlefield there arose such a clatter,
They sprang from their headquarters to see what was the matter.
Away to the ridges they flew like a flash,
Summoned their staff, while the brigades did dash.

The moon on the fields of the unharvested wheat,
Gave the luster of far away homes to those on their feet.
When, what to their wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature caisson, and eight tiny reindeer.


With a little old teamster, so lively and quick,
They knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;


"Now, McLellan! now, Burnside! now, Hooker and Jackson,
On, Pope ! on Cleburne! on Forrest, and Johnston,
To the top of the treeline! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the command posts the coursers they flew,
With the caisson full of peace, and St.Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, they heard on the roof,
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As they drew in their heads, and were turning around,
Down the pot bellied stove, St. Nick came with a bound.

He was dressed all in blue and gray, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of peace he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.


His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And they laughed when they saw him, in spite of their self
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave them to know, they had nothing to dread.


He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And pleaded to them for peace: then turned with a jerk,
While Lee and Meade clasped their hands, tears rolled down St. Nick's nose,
And giving a joyful nod, up the chimney he rose.


He sprang to his caisson, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But they heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a peaceful night."


Credit - The Gettysburg Discussion Group