Vacant Chair, The

CIVIL WAR DIRGE

4  4     4     4   -4 4     4    -5
We shall meet, but we shall miss him.

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There will be one va-cant chair.

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We shall linger to caress him,

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While we breathe our e--vening prayer.

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When a- year a-go we gathered

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Joy was in his mild blue eyes.

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Now a golden chord is severed,

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And our hopes in ru-in lie.

CHORUS

4  4     4     4   -4 4     4    -5
We shall meet, but we shall miss him.

4     4    4  4   -4 4    6
There will be one va-cant chair.

4  4     -6 6   -5 5 5    -4
We shall linger to caress him,

-6    6  -5      5   -4 5      -5
While we breathe our e--vening prayer.


At our fireside, sad and lonely,
Often will the bosom swell,
At remembrance of the story,
How our noble Willie fell,
How he strove to bear our banner,
Through the thickest of the fight,
And uphold our country's honor,
In the strength of manhood's night.

REPEAT CHORUS

True, they tell us wreaths of glory,
Ever more will deck his brow,
But this soothes the anguish only,
Sweeping o'er our heartstrings now.
Sleep today, Oh early fallen,
In thy green and narrow bed.
Dirges from the pine and cypress,
Mingle with the tears we shed.

REPEAT CHORUS