High Water Mark

High water mark

[July 3rd, 1863]

[1. Cannonade/intro]

Instrumental

[2. The burden of command]

[Lee:]

It was very close yesterday

I thought for sure they would break

But this attack that I have planned

A massive strike across open land

In the center they will break

(Will they break?)

But plan it well, everything's at stake

We'll hit 'em hard

Not a silent gun

Before the infantry's begun

Execute it well, we risk everything

It's in God's hands now

[Longstreet:]

General lee I must tell you straight

I believe this attack will fail

No 15,000 men ever made

Will overtake that ridge today

A mile charge over open ground

With yankee cannon gunnin' us down

[Lee:]

We do our duty

We do what we must

And in my plan you will trust

(Thousands die, on this day)

Execute it well, we risk everything

It's in God's hands now

[3. The last full measure]

The rebel cannon break the silence

150 Guns make up their cannonade

They must destroy the union center

Before the infantry can launch

Their grand assault

The yankees are returning fire

(The earth shakes violently)

In washington d.c

Lincoln feels the earth shake

What happens here this day

The fate of this nation

In the balance it will hang

Consumed with the pain

The courage of the blue

The valor of the grey

So very sad but true

Consumed with the pain

The virginians are the chosen

In wait behind the trees

On seminary ridge

Longstreet's slow to give the order

The lines emerge, a mile, 15,000 men

The charge begins in all it's grandeur

(To the copse of trees)

For many of these men

They know it is their last

The slaughter now ensues

Bodies fall like rain

They valiantly pursue

Yet doomed to remain

At the double quick they charge

The canister rips through them

To the mouth of hell they march

Glory, the only gain

[4. Charge!!]

[Armistead:]

We're almost there my boys

I've never served with finer

We must push forward boys

And bayonet the yankee tyrants

To the copse of trees we charge

To crush the union center

And when they turn and run

An open road leads us to freedom

[5. The melee]

[Lee:]

It's over now we are retreating

I never thought that we'd be beaten

All this blood is on my hands

The thousands dead due to my plan

I am responsible

All of it is my fault

I thought us invincible

Is this God's will after all?

I look across this blood soaked land

All this blood is on my hands

God forgive me, please forgive me

It's all my fault

The blood is on my hands