1. Ho, my comrades! see the signal waving in the sky! Reinforcements now appearing, victory is nigh. 2. See the mighty host advancing, Satan leading on; Mighty ones around us falling, courage almost gone! 3. See the glorious banner waving! Hear the trumpet blow! In our Leader's Name we triumph over ev'ry foe. 4. Fierce and long the battle rages, but our help is near; Onward comes our great Commander, cheer, my comrades, cheer! Chorus: "Hold the fort, for I am coming," Jesus signals still; Wave the answer back to Heaven, "By Thy grace we will."
Lyrics: Philip Paul
Bliss
Music: Philip Paul Bliss
Tune: HOLD THE FORT
Words and Music by Philip P. Bliss, 1838–1876
As was true of so many of Philip P. Bliss’s gospel songs, this hymn was inspired by an illustration used by Major Whittle, an officer in the American Civil War, while addressing a YMCA meeting on the text from Revelation 2:25. Major Whittle’s illustration was about a small Northern force of soldiers in charge of guarding a great quantity of supplies. They were being hard pressed by greatly superior Confederate forces. Finally, the Confederate general, General French, commanded the Federal troops to surrender. At that moment the troops saw a signal from their leader, General Sherman, on a hill some miles away, which said, “Hold the fort, I am coming. Sherman.” The story so captivated Bliss’s interest that he could not retire that evening until he had completed both the text and the music for this gospel song. It later became a great favorite in the Moody-Sankey campaigns both in Great Britain and in the United States.