Tighten Your Girth, Slacken Your Rein
Facts & Trivia

View Second Tennessee Cavalry (Ashby) and
Thirty-First Tennessee Infantry (Bradfor) Rosters

Riding A Raid Lyrics
The book title 'Tighten Your Girth, Slacken Your Rein'
was derived from the lyrics found in the Civil War tune 'Riding A Raid'.

'Tis old Stonewall the Rebel that leans on his sword,
And while we are mounting prays low to the Lord:
"Now each cavalier that loves honor and right,
Let him follow the feather of Stuart tonight."

Come tighten your girth and slacken your Rein;
Come buckle your blanket and holster again;
Try the click of your trigger and balance your blade,
For he must ride sure that goes riding a raid.

Now gallop, now gallop to swim or to ford!
Old Stonewall, still watching, prays low to the Lord:
"Goodbye, dear old Rebel! The river's not wide,
And Maryland's lights in her window to guide."

There's a man in the White House with blood on his mouth!
If there's knaves in the North, there are braves in the South.
We are three thousand horses, and not one afraid;
We are three thousand sabres and not a dull blade.

Then gallop, then gallop by ravines and rocks!
Who would bar us the way take his toll in hard knocks;
For with these points of steel, on the line of the Penn
We have made some fine strokes and we'll make 'em again.