Letter to Colonel Mosby

Words & music A. McKnight, ©1999 Catalooch Music, BMI

Verse 1
Dear Colonel Mosby, please sir a moment of your time
I know it's strange, I write from 1999
I send this letter, in the hope that it will find you on the darkest day of your life
Dogwoods bloom, the date is April 29,
the year it ended, eighteen hundred sixty-five
so much blood spilled, on this land you would find looks little like what you left behind

Chorus
we honor this place, as hallowed ground, will we take its defense as we're honor-bound?

Verse 2
Here in the future, invading armies cross our land,
with big machines, so much larger than a man
strip the red clay, cut trees everywhere they stand bring the city ever closer at hand
they put your name up, on all their fancy signs
like you'd approve, of all their plans to subdivide
these rolling farms, that have worked here since your time, under hazy Piedmont skies
Chorus
Instrumental

Verse 3
Colonel Mosby, I am but a simple man
but we are common in our love for Virginia's land
we'll protect it, we both do the best we can now it's my time to make a stand
Chorus

Verse 4
I'll take your leave now, for I've shared everything I've learned
you need to know it, enjoy eternal rest you've earned
you may save us yet, from what big money yearns and I sign "respectfully yours"