The sun shone bright and clear that day, we all left Washington To lick the Rebel boys in gray at the Battle of Bull Run. They came from Pennsylvania and some from Maryland, To see the Rebel boys get spanked by Honest Abe's broad hand. We said, "We'll run 'em to Atlanta and to Galveston Bay," But they ran us back to Washington and Philadelphia. The ladies wore their brightest shawls, the gentlemen were gay. They came to see their Yankee boys whip old Virginia. I held my momma's hand and skipped when a soldier said to me, "Would you rather have Jeff Davis' hat or the sword of Bobby Lee?" We said, "We'll run 'em to Atlanta and to Galveston Bay," But they ran us back to Washington and Philadelphia. And then the general doffed his hat and said, "Let's rest a spell," And for the first time we all heard that awful rebel yell. The waters of Manassas Creek became a ruby red, And many a Reb and Yankee boy lay in the willows dead. We said, "We'll run 'em to Atlanta and to Galveston Bay," But they ran us back to Washington and Philadelphia. A fight locked in the chest of time, too horrible to tell, Virginny's cool green countryside became a lake of hell. Don't count your chicks before they're hatched or your work until it's done Remember, yes, remember long the Battle of Bull Run. We said, "We'll run 'em to Atlanta and to Galveston Bay," But they ran us back to Washington and Philadelphia.