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

1809
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