The men of Upper Canada have gone to join the fight

The redcoats and the red men tried to hold the Queenston Heights

Sir Brock, our daring hero, fell like wild goose from the sky

And my own James was carried home with iron in his thigh

But though the Yankees occupy the whole Niagara shore

The secret I am carrying could win or lose this war

    Oh grasses, stop your rustling, spring ye up behind my step

    Oh river, bridge me over, oh sunlight, linger yet

    Oh jaybird, pray don’t mock me, oh squirrels, do not scold

    Let me pass in silence by; my story must be told.

The colonel in his insolence, he called our home their inn

And made so free with our good wine the wine made free with him

“We move tomorrow morn,” he said, “to capture Beaver Dam

With ten blue coats for every red, ‘twill fall into our hands.”

With steady chin and smiling eyes I hid my thought from view:

A slender chance of victory, if warning could get through!

    Chorus

My goodman could not hope to go, his ruined leg he cursed

“They’ll shoot you for a spy,” he said, “if wolves don’t get you first

There’s bog and cliff to bar the way, there’s sentries on the road.”

I kissed his dear and troubled face, “Oh Jimmy, let me go!

You’ve done your duty for this land, I’ll play the part I must

So give the children all my love and give the Lord your trust.”

    Chorus

And through the miles of undergrowth the creek has shown the way

In fear of making sign or sound that could my path betray

The swamp has claimed my slippers and the brambles torn my dress

The dark will soon be falling and I dare not take a rest

But when my courage falters in the hunger and the heat

I think of all the loyal homes that hang upon my feet.

    Chorus