Heart-Rending Boat Ballad- Landreth (MO) 1864
[This Civil War version from the 1867 Anecdotes, Poetry, and Incidents of the War: North and South. 1860-1865, edited by Frank Moore is the first printed version in North America. It's taken from a MS diary from a soldier in Shelby's force in Missouri about 1865. Moore's notes follow.
R. Matteson 2017]
It will be seen by the following, that Pegasus accompanied Shelby in his raid, and was ridden by William H. Landreth:
Heart-Rending Boat Ballad (original spelling kept)
1. father father bild Me a Boat
and pot it on the oason that I may float
her father was welthy he bilt her a Boat
an pot it on the oason that She Mite float
She Stopte on the Boat She eride out Goy
Now ll find my sweet salar Boy.
2. She handent Bin Snilcn far on the Main
She Spide three Ships come in from Spain
She hailed each captain as ho drew ni
An of him She did in quire of her swee Salar Boy.
3. Capttain Captain tell me trew
if my sweet william is in your crew
Il tell you far lady Il tell you My Dear
your Sweet William is not hear.
4. At the head of rockey ilent as we past By
Will was taken Sick an tharo did die
She stove her boat a gains a rock
I thaut in my Soal her heart was Break
She rong her hand She toar her hair
Jest like a lady in dis pair.
5. go bring me a Cher for to set on
a pen and ink for to set it down
at the end or ever line she dropt a tire
at the end of ever virs it was o My dire.
6. go dig my grave booth Wide an deep
poot a marvel Stone at ray head an feet
an on my breast you may corv a dove
too let the world no that I dido for love.
Wm. H. Landbeth.
_______________________
Translation:
1. Father, father build Me a boat
And put it on the ocean that I may float
Her father was wealthy he built her a boat
And put it on the ocean that She might float
She stopped on the boat She rode out [in] joy
Now I'll find my sweet sailor boy.
2. She hadn't been sailing far on the main,
She spied three ships come in from Spain;
She hailed each captain as he drew nigh,
And of him she did inquire of her sweet sailor boy.
3. "Captain, Captain, tell me true,
If my sweet William is in your crew?"
"I'll tell you fair lady, I'll tell you my dear
Your Sweet William is not here."
4. At the head of Rocky Island as we past by,
Will was taken sick and there did die;
She stove her boat against a rock,
I thought in my soul her heart was breaking
She wrung her hand She tore her hair
Just like a lady in despair.
5. Go bring me a chair for to sit on,
A pen and ink for to set it down
At the end or every line she dropped a tear
At the end of every verse it was, "Oh my dear."
6. Go dig my grave both Wide an deep
Put a marble stone at my head an feet
And on my breast you may carve a dove
To let the world know that I died for love.