To Captain J.C. Fremont
From the Spanish of Don Hernando Fuero
Los Angeles, Feb 1847
Brave Foe! whose conquering sword is wreathed
With olive, never stained by wrong;
Whose spirit, in thy warriors breathed,
Imparts thy courage high and strong,
I crown thee generous as brave,
Proud peer of all the great and free,
And bless defeat itself which gave
Our land, our laws, our all to thee!
From thee, as midnight from the sun,
Shrank Castro, anarchy, and chains!
Thy crimeless victories, bravely won,
Gave freedom to our scourged domains.
Law followed in thy glorious track,
And Mercy flew by Valor's side ;
Ah, Jesu! that this land should lack
What rights a noble Foe supplied !
A Foe no more! with proffered hand,
And grateful heart, we hail thee Friend!
Magnanimous to a fallen Land,
Whose old Castilian pride may bend
To a great Heart, but sooner dies
Than blanch at death — I crown thee Great,
In action strong, in council wise.
True savior of a tottering State!
I see the ancient fire renewed
In this last age of coward me ;
TEXEDA’s dauntless heart, endued
With stubborn virtue, lives again;
MANAYA’s fiery will in war.
Puts lightning in thy every blow;
The Western World's young CAMPEDOR,
Thy very presence quells the foe !
No other hand could guide so well
Your sunrise Eagle on our hills:
Our jealous hate might ne'er repel,
But would have stung, with clinging ills.
The victor, who in triumph's flush
Knew not so grandly to forbear — F
or the Guerilla's steel can blush.
But not his cheek, at deeds we dare!
Tracked by the glare of burning homes,
By childhood's curse and woman's wail,
'Tis thus the heartless conqueror comes,
Whose path is one red murder-trail!
But white hands down thy swift career
The dark-eyed signoritas wave,
And matrons join the deepening cheer
That hails thee Merciful as Brave !
- Title
- To Captain J.C. Fremont
- Alternative Title
- Brave Foe! Whose conquering sword is wreathed
- Date
- 1856
- Bibliographic Citation
- Signal Fires on the Trail of the Pathfinder, New York: Dayton and Burdick, 1856, 113-115.
- comment
- May be by Don Fernando Fuero, according to the notes, originally in Spanish, so not sure if this is really by G. S. Burleigh. However, a quick internet search revealed no poet by that name
- Media
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To Captain J. C. Fremont
Part of To Captain J.C. Fremont


