bangomen

[Jonathan Lighter]

In the words of Ambose Bierce:

            "Ours is a Christian army"; so he said
            A regiment of bangomen who led.
            "And ours a Christian navy," added he
            Who sailed a thunder-junk upon the sea.

A "thunder-junk" is (faux?) Oriental pidgin for "warship," so presumably the
"bangomen" have something to do with the Far East. The Philippines?

Neither OED or Google Books are any help.

WTH?

JL

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