Poem: "Fiddler's Green"

Halfway down the trail to Hell,

In a shady meadow green

Are the Souls of all dead troopers camped,

Near a good old-time canteen.

And this eternal resting place

Is known as Fiddlers' Green.


Marching past, straight through to Hell

The Infantry are seen.

Accompanied by the Engineers,

Artillery and Marines,

For none but the shades of Cavalrymen

Dismount at Fiddlers' Green.


Though some go curving down the trail

To seek a warmer scene.

No trooper ever gets to Hell

Ere he's emptied his canteen.

And so rides back to drink again

With friends at Fiddlers' Green.


And so when man and horse go down

Beneath a saber keen,

Or in a roaring charge of fierce melee

You stop a bullet clean,

And the hostiles come to get your scalp,

Just empty your canteen,

(Note)

And go to Fiddlers' Green.

The origin and author of "Fiddler's Green" is unknown. It was believed to have originated in the 1800's and was composed as a song sung by the soldiers of the 6th and 7th Cavalry. Its first known appearance in published form was in a 1923 Cavalry Journal.

Note: Since the return of American forces from Vietnam, an additional line has been added to the poem. Just prior to the end, the line "And put your pistol to your head," has been added. Perhaps this is in tribute to veterans who are experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome; I don't know. Therefore, the poem appears in its original form except for the annotation: Note.

Fiddler's Green

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