The Devil To Pay Lyrics - The Glorious Burden - Iced Earth

In July 1863 

A nation torn in tragedy 

A trick of fate, two great armies merge 

Gods of war at Gettysburg 

Devastation lies ahead 

50,000 bodies litter the land 

Hell rages three full days 

The reaper sows, there's the devil to pay 

The pressure's on and the reb's attack 

The yanks must hold, They can't fall back 

Just two brigades, 2000 strong 

Against 20,000 they can't hold long 

General Reynolds makes his way 

Expect no mercy from the iron brigade 

Until he shows they're on their own 

But Buford's men have a will of stone 

Bayonets gleam in the morning sun 

Smoke and fire belching from their guns 

Another volley and again they strike 

Thousands more comin' down Chambersburg pike 

This tragedy and what it brings 

All the devastation 

The reaper has his way 

Men will kill, blood will spill 

To preserve the nation 

There's the devil to pay 

South of town down the Emmitsburg road 

The first corps are starting to show 

For Buford's men, they're here just in time 

The desperate need to strengthen the line 

Bodies dropping the blue and the gray 

Muskets fire and cannon blaze 

The union fights defending the town 

But they're outnumbered and losing ground 

From the north and the west more rebels arrive 

Thousands more and the fight multiplies 

McPhearson's ridge and the black hats strike 

A rebel sharpshooter takes Reynolds' life 

This tragedy and what it brings 

All the devastation 

The reaper has his way 

Men will kill, blood will spill 

To preserve the nation 

There's the devil to pay 

Attack, attack, General Lee gives command 

They're overwhelmed, the situation demands 

The federals retreat and rush out of town 

But they have fortified and saved the high ground 

The day ends in victory for the south 

Lee's as convinced as God's will is profound 

They are invincible and their cause is just 

But Longstreet is cautious and lacking in trust 

Across the way the union digs in 

The round tops, Cemetery Ridge and out to Culps Hill 

Their lines are strong, no denying they'll stay 

When the confederates strike 

There'll be the devil to pay 

This tragedy and what it brings 

All the devastation 

The reaper has his way 

Men will kill, blood will spill 

To preserve the nation 

There's the devil to pay