Shortly before he won a vote in Congress in 1981 to sell AWACS
reconnaissance planes to Saudi Arabia, President Ronald Reagan
answered the media's questions somewhere on the White House lawn
concerning what he would do if he lost this key vote.  He answered
using a civil war poem, saying something to the effect of "I'll lie me
down and bleed a bit and then get up and fight again."  I need that
exact exchange and poem and author.

Hello.

Here is the context:

"Q. Have you made any deals? Have you been giving anything away?
The President. No, I don't make deals.
Q. What happens if you lose, Mr. President?
The President. I lie me down and bleed awhile and then get up and
fight again. [Laughter]"

October 27, 1981; 5:17 p.m. on the South Lawn of the White House

Question-and-Answer Session With Reporters on the Sale of AWACS and
Other Air Defense Equipment to Saudi Arabia
http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/resource/speeches/1981/102781a.htm


President Reagan was quoting a ballad called "Sir Andrew Barton."   As
in the case of many ballads, no author is cited.


"Fight on, my men," Sir Andrew sayes,
    "A little Ime hurt, but yett not slaine;
  He but lye downe and bleede a while,
    And then He rise and fight againe.
  Fight on, my men," Sir Andrew sayes,
    "And never flinch before the foe;
  And stand fast by St. Andrewes crosse
    Until you heare my whistle blowe."

source:
Book of Old Ballads
http://www.gutenberg.net/etext05/7bld510.txt

Also see:

" 'Fight on, my men!' says Sir Andrew Barton,	
  'I am hurt, but I am not slain;	
I'le lay me downe and bleed a-while,	        
  And then I'le rise and fight again."

source:
The Oxford Book of Ballads.  1910., cited on Bartleby.com
http://www.bartleby.com/243/130.html


Sir Andrew Barton was an admiral in the early 16th century.

"Barton descended from the mast, 'fight on' he said ' my brave
hearts', 'I am a little wounded, but not slain, I will but rest
awhile, and then rise and fight again, meantime stand fast by St
Andrews Cross',"

source:
ACCOUNT OF THE DEATH OF SIR ANDREW BARTON
From Sir Walter Scott's 'Tales of a Grandfather'
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~airliegenealogy/sir_andrew_barton.htm

-----
search strategy:
reagan, "fight again"
"fight on" "Bleed awhile" "fight again"
"sir andrew barton" "fight on"

I hope this helps.

I'm impressed!