Tono: Bb
Introducción: G G Bm Bm C D G D
G Bm
It was down near Brownsville Texas in May of '65
C G
John Williams thought that he might just escape this borderline
Bm
Before General Lee surrendered up north a month ago
C D G D
But they couldn't lay their bombs down 'til the Kernel told them so
G Bm
That was union Kernel Baron, he had other plans
C G
To hit the Johnny's one more time down by the Rio Grande
Bm
He sent the thirty-fourth Indiana boys in their coats of blue
C D Em
With John Williams there among them at the age of twenty-two
D
Twenty-two
Am C D G
From Jay County Indiana at the age of twenty-two
G Bm
Now the rebel troopers at Fort Brown, they surely were surprised
C G
To see them Yankees comin' as the sun began to rise
Bm
They all agreed there'd be a truce 'til the call to go home came
C D G D
Each side would stay right where they were and the other did the same
G Bm
But the Yank's, they won that first day, it took some prisoners back
C G
And they rested near Paul Meadow Ranch for the second days attack
Bm
Meanwhile, it was all red forward at the confederate command
C D Em
Sayin' if them Yank's were trouble, well they surely found their man
D
They found their man
Am C D G
If them federal still want trouble, well they surely found their man
G Bm
Now overpack some cannons, the blue coach didn't know
C G
He'd gotten from the Frenchy's fightin' down in Mexico
Bm
He rolled them in position right up near that ranch's wall
C D G D
He served the Yank's their breakfast with some eight-pound cannonballs
G Bm
So the federal soon were beaten, oh they dropped their guns and ran
C G
They all said it was lucky that they only lost one man
Bm
And that was Private Johnny Williams out there starin' at the sky
C D Em
With the dead eyes of the last man of the civil war to die
D
The war to die
Am C D G D
The very last man in that dreadful bloody civil war to die
G Bm
You can say John Williams was an awful shame
C G
And every war that'll ever be is bound to end the same
Bm
A bullet flys, a young man dies, a final bugle blows
C D G D
And who the last will ever be, there ain't nobody knows
G Bm
It was down near Brownsville Texas in May of '65
C D Em
John Williams thought that he might just escape that borderline
Em