Faded Coat of Blue

My brave lad he sleeps in his faded coat of blue
In a lonely grave unknown lies the heart that beat so true
He sank faint and hungry among the famish'd brave
And they laid him sad and lonely within a nameless grave

No more the bugle calls the weary one
Rest, noble spirit, in thy grave unknown
I'll find you, and know you among the good and true
When a robe of white is giv'en for the faded coat of blue

He cried, give me water and just a little crumb
And my mother she will bless you through all the years to come
Oh, tell my sweet sister, so gentle, good, and true
That I'll meet her up in heav'n in my faded coat of blue

He said, my dear comrades, you cannot take me home
But you'll mark my grave for mother, she'll find me if she comes
I fear she'll not know me, among the good, and true
When I meet her up in heaven in my faded coat of blue

No dear one was nigh him to close his sweet blue eyes
And no gentle one was by him to give him sweet replies
No stone marks the sod o'er my lad, so brave and true
In his lonely grave he sleeps in his faded coat of blue

Long, long years have vanished, and though he comes no more
Yet my heart will startling beat with each footfall at my door
I gaze o'er the hill where he waved a last adieu
But no gallant lad I see, in his faded coat of blue