High Water Mark Lyrics - The Glorious Burden - Iced Earth

"It was very close yesterday 

I thought for sure they would break 

But this attack that I have planned 

A massive strike across open land 

In the center they will break 

But plan it well, everything's at stake 

We'll hit 'em hard, not a silent gun 

Before the infantry's begun 

Execute it well, we risk everything 

It's in God's hands now" 

"General Lee, I must tell you straight 

I believe this attack will fail 

No 15,000 men ever made 

Will overtake that ridge today 

A mile charge over open ground 

With Yankee cannon gunnin' us down" 

"We do our duty, we do what we must 

And in my plan you will trust" 

Thousands die, on this day 

"Execute it well, we risk everything 

It's in God's hands now" 

The rebel cannon break the silence 

One-hundred fifty guns make up their cannonade 

They must destroy the union center 

Before the infantry can launch their grand assault 

The Yankees are returning fire 

The Earth shakes violently 

In Washington D.C. Lincoln feels the Earth shake 

What happens here this day 

The fate of this nation 

In the balance it will hang 

Consumed with the pain 

The courage of the blue 

The valor of the grey 

So very sad but true 

Consumed with the pain 

The Virginians are the chosen 

In wait behind the trees on Seminary Ridge 

Longstreet's slow to give the order 

The lines emerge, a mile, 15,000 men 

The charge begins in all its grandeur 

To the copse of trees) 

For many of these men, they know it is their last 

The slaughter now ensues 

Bodies fall like rain 

They valiantly pursue 

Yet doomed to remain 

At the double quick they charge 

The canister rips through them 

To the mouth of hell they march 

Glory, the only gain 

"We're almost there my boys 

I've never served with finer 

We must push forward boys 

And bayonet the Yankee tyrants 

To the copse of trees we charge 

To crush the union center 

And when they turn and run 

An open road leads us to freedom" 

"It's over now, we are retreating 

I never thought that we'd be beaten 

All this blood is on my hands 

The thousands dead due to my plan 

I am responsible, all of it is my fault 

I thought us invincible 

Is this God's will after all? 

I look across this blood soaked land 

All this blood is on my hands 

God forgive me, please forgive me 

It's all my fault, the blood is on my hands"