From the recording The Occoquan River
Lyrics
Baby let your hair hang low
I'm ready, I'm ready
The light is fading
and the shadows are long
I'm ready
I feel your body tremble next to mine
Now over river, now over time
I'm already gone, I'm already gone
Well, I fear no one
I got my head held high
I'm a fighting man from the sixty-ninth
We learnt about death when Stonewall stood
The Occoquan River ran red with blood
When the day was done
My brother Billy had his mothers eye
He had a gentle soul but something broke inside
He took to the fight
just like any man
My brother Billy was a gentleman
Baby let your hair hang low
I'm ready, I'm ready
The light is fading
and the shadows are long
I'm ready
I feel your body tremble next to mine
Now over river, now over time
I'm already gone, I'm already gone
We took some prisoners late in sixty-five
We marched them north along the Ohio line
They were hungry, they were beaten
They were barely alive
My brothers sword hung by his side
One them rebs keeled over and fell
Billy was on him like a hound of hell
I just stood there with my hands by my side
Billy slit that boys throat
Right in front of my eyes
Baby let your hair hang low
I'm ready, I'm ready
The light is fading
and the shadows are long
I'm ready
I feel your body tremble next to mine
Now over river, now over time
I'm already gone, I'm already gone