I’m going to fight mit Sigel

During the preparation of a presentation at the Freiburg-Madison Gesellschaft about the 48ers, i.e., those revolutionaries who fled to the States in the years 1848/49 following their total defeat in Germany, I came across the lyrics of a one-time popular song.

German volunteers sang the song who were fighting in the American Civil War with the Yankees against the Federate States under the command of a former officer from Baden (Germany), Franz Sigel:

I'm going to fight mit Sigel
Written by John F. Poole

I've come shust now to tells you how
I goes mit regimentals;
To schlauch dem voes of liberty
Like dem old Continentals,
Vot fight mit England long ago
To save the Yankee Eagle,
Un now I gets mine sojer clothes
I'm going to fight mit Sigel.

Yaw! Das id drue, I shpeakes mit you,
I'm going to fight mit Sigel.


Ven I comes from de Deutsche countree,
I vorks somedimes at baking.
Den I keeps a lager bier saloon,
Un den I goes shoemaking;
But now I vas a sojer been
To save the Yankee Eagle,
To schlauch dem tam Secession volks,
I'm going to fight mit Sigel.

Yaw! Das id drue, I shpeakes mit you,
I'm going to fight mit Sigel..


I gets ein tam big rifle guns,
Un puts him on mine shoulder,
Den march so bold, like a big jack horse,
Un may been someding bolder;
I goes off mit de volunteers,
To save de Yankee Eagle,
To give dem rebel vellers fits,
I'm going to fight mit Sigel.

Yaw! Das id drue, I shpeakes mit you,
I'm going to fight mit Sigel..


Dem Deutschen men’s mit Sigel’s band,
At fighting have no rival,
Un ven Cheff Davis’ mens ve meet
Ve schlauch ‘em like de duyvil:
Dere's only one ting vot I fear,
Ven pattling for de Eagle
I vont get not no lager beer,
Ven I goes to fight mit Sigel.

Yaw! Das id drue, I shpeakes mit you,
I'm going to fight mit Sigel.


For rations, dey gives salty pork,
I dinks dat was a great sell,
I better likes de sour krout;
De switzer kase un pretzel.
If "Liddle Mac" vill give us dem,
Ve'll save the Yankee Eagle:
Un I'll put mine vrou in breechalons,
To go un fight mit Sigel.


Yaw! Das id drue, I shpeakes mit you,
I'm going to fight mit Sigel.

Quite amusing, isn't it?

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