I think sir the battle is over   And the young soldier laid down his gun   I'm tired of running for cover   I'm certain the battle is done      Or see over there where we fought them   It's quiet for they've all gone away   All left is the dead and the dying   The blue lying alongside the gray      So you think the battle is over   And you even lay down your gun   You carelessly rise from you cover   For you think the battle is done      Now boy hit the dirt listen to me   For I'm still the one in command   Get flat on the ground here beside me   And lay your ear hard to the sand      Can you hear the deafening rumble?   Can you feel the trembling ground?   It's not just the horses and wagons   That make such a deafening sound      For every shot fired had an echo   And every man killed wanted life   There lies your friend Jim McCany   Can you take the news to his wife      No son the battle's not over   The battle has only begun   The rest of the battle will cover   The part that has blackened the sun      The fight yet to come's not with cannon   Nor will the fight be hand to hand   No one will regroup the forces   No charge will a general command      The battle will rage in the bosom   Of mother and sweetheart and wife   Brother and sister and daughter   Will grieve for the rest of their lives      Now go ahead rise from your cover   Be thankful that God let you live   Go fight the rest of the battle   For those who gave all they could give      I see sir the battle's not over   The battle has only begun   The rest of this battle will cover   This part that has blackened the sun      For though there's no sound of the cannon   And though there's no smoke in he sky   I'm dropping the gun and the saber   And ready for the battle am I