Ben McCulloch
Foot Soldier's Lament: Battling Demons in McCulloch's Shadow
Lyrics
We signed up in San Antone, my brother Paul and me
We enlisted in San Antonio, my brother Paul and I
To fight with Ben McCulloch and the Texas infantry
To join Ben McCulloch and the Texas infantry in the war
Well the poster said we'd get a uniform and seven bucks a week
The recruitment promised a uniform, seven dollars a week, good rations, and a rifle
The best rations in the army and a rifle we could keep
Expectations of favorable conditions in the army
When I first laid eyes on the general I knew he was a fightin' man
The narrator observes General McCulloch and senses his warrior spirit
He was every inch a soldier, every word was his command
The general embodies a commanding and authoritative presence
Well his eyes were cold as the lead and steel forged into tools of war
Description of the general's stern and war-hardened demeanor
He took the lives of many and the souls of many more
McCulloch, a lethal leader, responsible for many deaths
Well they marched us to Missouri and we hardly stopped for rest
The troops are continuously on the move towards Missouri
And then he made this speech and said, "We're comin' to the test"
McCulloch prepares the soldiers for a significant challenge
Well we've got to take Saint Louie boys before the Yankees do
Objective: Capture St. Louis before the Union forces
If we control the Mississippi then the Federals are through
Controlling the Mississippi River is crucial for victory
Well they told us that our enemy would all be dressed in blue
Expectation that the enemy wears blue uniforms, overlooking other hardships
Well they forgot about the winter's cold and the cursed fever too
Challenges faced, including harsh winter and illness
My brother died at Wilson's Creek and Lord I seen him fall
The narrator's brother dies in battle at Wilson's Creek
We fell back to the Boston Mountains in the north of Arkansas
Retreat to the Boston Mountains in Arkansas
Goddamn you Ben McCulloch
Expressing intense hatred towards Ben McCulloch
I hate you more than any other man alive
Personal animosity towards McCulloch
And when you die you'll be a foot soldier just like me
Predicting McCulloch's fate and the narrator's disdain
In the Devil's infantry
Comparison of McCulloch's future with the narrator's in the Devil's infantry
And on the way to Fayetteville we cursed McCulloch's name
Cursing McCulloch's name during the journey to Fayetteville
And mourned the dead that we'd left behind and we was carrying the lame
Mourning the dead and assisting the wounded
I killed a boy the other night who'd never even shaved
The guilt of killing a young soldier, reflecting on the senselessness of the war
I don't even know what I'm fightin' for, I ain't never owned a slave
The narrator questions the purpose of the fight, expressing indifference to slavery
So I snuck out of camp and then I heard the news next night
The narrator leaves camp and learns of McCulloch's death after a battle loss
The Yankees won the battle and McCulloch lost his life, yeh
The Union wins the battle, and McCulloch loses his life
Goddamn you Ben McCulloch
Reiteration of strong animosity towards Ben McCulloch
I hate you more than any other man alive
Continued intense hatred towards McCulloch
And when you die you'll be a foot soldier just like me
Repeated prediction of McCulloch's fate and association with the Devil's infantry
In the Devil's infantry
Final confirmation of McCulloch's destiny and the narrator's perspective
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