The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-06-23

We quote the first verse of this
celebrated poem:
Furl that banner. for Is weary,
r und IL aft It's dropping dreary;
Furi il, 'old tit i It;
FDr he e. not man 70 wave it,
Aud there not sword u save il,
Aud there's not on left to lave il
In the baol which heroes CAV. il.
Aud IL foes ION scurn ami brave il.
Fur il, hiae it,-l-t it ie-t!
Father Ryan has told us how
he came to write this pathetic
dlrge: Il wrote The Conquered
Banner, at Knoxville. Tennes-
see one evening soon after Lees
surrender. when my mind was en-
crossed with thoughts of our dead
soldiers and dead cause. 1t was
first published in the New York
FreemeR'S JOurHdL | never had
any idea that the poem, written
III less than an hour, would at
tain celebrity No doubt the cir.
cumStanceS of its appearance lent
II much Of its fame In express
ing my own emotions at the time.
echoed the unuttered feelings of
the Southern people, and SO the
Conquered Banner became the
requiem OF the Lost Cause"
Father Ryan was born at Nor.
folk, Va, in 1899 He had a
happy, quiet home, mother
whom he tenderly loved, a sweet,
gentle sister and a devoted
brother. Feeling that he was
called to the priesthood, young
Ryan entered a seminary, was or
dained early in the war, and be
came a chaplain in the Confeder-
ate army, serving to the close of
the struggle.
On the battle field we are in
formed he was as ever ready to
offer consolation of religion to the
dying Protestant soldier, as to
the stlictest members of his own
creed. After the war he removed
to New Orleans and edited the
Star, a weekly Catholic news
paper, for three years. His rest
less disposition. however, untitled
him for the duties of an editor.
He said that he never could do
anything at regular time. "The
press does not give man time
for day dreams, and | am a day
dreamer. Give me leisure and a
pipe, and | am happy. | am an
inveterate smoker, but | never
smoke when l am writing, only
when | am musing, thinking,
dreaming"
From New Orleans Father Ry
an removed to Knoxville, Tennes
/ see. but he did not remain long,
for early in 1865 he went to Angus.
ia, Georgia, and founded the
Banner Of the South, but in a few
months he gave it up, and be
came the pastor of st. Mary'S
Church, at Mobile, Alabama,
where he remained longer than at
any other place. In 1880 his old
reStleSSneSs again returned and
he left for the North on an ex.
tended lecturing tour. After a
restless and fitful life, Father Ry
an died in Louisville, Kentucky,
April %, 1868.
1t was to his brother, who fell
at fredericksburg, that he wrote
his touching poem, "In Mem.
Oriam," which we give below:
Young as the youngest who donned
the grey,
True as the truest who wore it,
Brave as the bravest, he marched
away
Hot tears on the cheeks of his mother
lay;)
Triumphant waved our flag one day
He fell in the front before il.
Firm as the firmest where duty led,
He hurried without falter-
Bold as the boldest, he fought and
bled,
Aud the day was won, but the field
was red,
And the blood of his fresh young
heart washed
On his country's hallowed altar.
On the trampled breast of the battle
plain,
Where the foremost ranks had
wrestled-
On his pale, pure face not mark OF
pain
His mother dreams they will rest
AGAIN.,
The fairest form amid all the slain,
Like child asleep-he nestled.
In the solemn shades Of the woods that
swept