Born in Clifden in 1817, John Riley left Galway to serve in the British Army, rising to the rank of Sergeant before mustering out in 1843, crossing the Atlantic, enlisting in the US Army in 1845, and being sent to Texas. Chafing at the galling mistreatment of Irish Catholics in the ranks, Riley, “on the advice of my conscience”, deserted and became an officer in the Mexican Army in 1846…

Lyrics

Adventure calls and some men run, and this is their sad story - how some get drunk on the demon rum and some get drunk on glory.

John Riley came from Galway town in the years of the Irish hunger, and he sailed away to America when the country was much younger. Now the place was strange and work was scarce, and all he knew was farming, so he followed his other Irish friends to a job in the US Army. Adventure calls and some men run…

Now they marched down Texas way to the banks of the Rio Grande. They built a fort on the banks above to taunt old Santa Anna. They were treated bad and paid worse, and then the fighting started, and the more they fought the less they thought of the damned old US Army. Adventure calls and some men run…

Now when the church bells rang on Sunday morn, it set his soul a shiver. He saw the señoritas washing their hair on the far side of the river. Then John Riley and two hundred more Irish mercenaries, they cast their lot, right or not, south of the Rio Grande. Adventure calls and some men run…

Now they fought bravely under the flag of the San Patricios ’til the Yankees soldiers beat them down at the battle of Churubusco. Then fifteen men were whipped like mules, on their cheeks they were hot-iron branded. They had to dig the graves of fifty more who a hanging Fate had handed. Adventure calls and some men run…

Now John Riley sits and drinks alone at a bar in Vera Cruz, and he wonders if it matters much if you win or if you lose. Well, I’m a man who can’t go home, I’m a vagabond, says he. I’m a victim of some wanderlust and divided loyalty. Adventure calls and some men run…