Talavera -

Here they come now

Under blazing sun now

The first of them come to the field

Three columns come on

Over four thousand strong

«Let them come anyhow», we’ll not yield

A thin British line

We’re a force in our prime

Commanded by old Daddy Hill

The two forces meet

See the French in retreat

From a volley that shatters their will

Let them know what we did here

We who defeated a King here

Let them know how we fought

Let them know how we bled

Let them know how we stood and our enemies fled

Let them know what we did

At Talavera

There’s more yet in store

Hear the batteries roar

Napoleon’s beautiful daughters

See the men torn apart

We will not lose our hearts

We will stand firm in spite of the slaughter

The French are not done

Thirty thousand now come

Advancing to sweep us away

Though our fire drives them back

Sherbrooke’s counter attack

Quickly turns to disaster may cost us the day

There’s chaos in the centre

Where the Frenchmen make us pay

The First and Third Divisions

Cut to pieces in the fray

The cavalry charge to the North

Met by unbroken square

Marshall Jourdan sees his chance

There’s not a moment left to spare

They think they have won

General Wellesley’s not done

He sends in the brave 48th

They stand and the fight

Till the cavalry strike

And we watch as the French army breaks

When a disciplined line

Cause King Joseph to turn and to flee

Over twelve thousand lost

It’s the terrible cost

That we pay for a great victory