Ben Mcculloch Lyrics - Earle Steve

We signed up in San Antone, my brother Paul and me 

To fight with Ben McCulloch and the Texas infantry 

Well the poster said we'd get a uniform and seven bucks a week 

The best rations in the army and a rifle we could keep 

When I first laid eyes on the general I knew he was a fightin' man 

He was every inch a soldier, every word was his command 

Well his eyes were cold as the lead and steel forged into tools of war 

He took the lives of many and the souls of many more 

Well they marched us to Missouri and we hardly stopped for rest 

And then he made this speech and said, "We're comin' to the test" 

Well we've got to take Saint Louie boys before the Yankees do 

If we control the Mississippi then the Federals are through 

Well they told us that our enemy would all be dressed in blue 

Well they forgot about the winter's cold and the cursed fever too 

My brother died at Wilson's Creek and Lord I seen him fall 

We fell back to the Boston Mountains in the north of Arkansas 

Goddamn you Ben McCulloch 

I hate you more than any other man alive 

And when you die you'll be a foot soldier just like me 

In the Devil's infantry 

And on the way to Fayetteville we cursed McCulloch's name 

And mourned the dead that we'd left behind and we was carrying the lame 

I killed a boy the other night who'd never even shaved 

I don't even know what I'm fightin' for, I ain't never owned a slave 

So I snuck out of camp and then I heard the news next night 

The Yankees won the battle and McCulloch lost his life, yeh 

Goddamn you Ben McCulloch 

I hate you more than any other man alive 

And when you die you'll be a foot soldier just like me 

In the Devil's infantry