The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-08
father Ryan's Great Confederate Poem
Read with Pnthos at Annapolis.

Read with PnthOs at Annapolis.
Editor Of The Times-Dispatch:
sir,-The beautiful. inspiring poem
written by that godly man. that true
Southern patriot, the late Rev. J. A.
Ryan, Catholic priest of the Diocese
Of Nashville, Tenn, has no equal among
the beautiful gems that came from
tie Inspired pens of the Southern writ
ers. who went through the fiery fur
mace OF Civil War in all Of Its hor.
rors. we can we'll imagine how the
beautiful sentiment expressed In the
language OF that gifted man flew from
his pen as he attempted to describe
In verse the heart burnings. the re-
morse and deep sorrow that was rack.
ing his whole body at the idea OF
the fas ne Well snye ala SO he exelaim:
"Oh! tits hard for us to fold IT. i,
Hard to think there's none to hold II.
Hard that those who once unrolled II
Now must furl it with sigh"
What pangs of sorrow. what sighs
for what might have been. swelled the
ing chaplain. that priest OF God, .F'ath-
Of the Conquered Banner" is recalled
to my mind most forcibly from the
fact that on the interment Of the Mary
| land troops In the Confederate States
Army at Annapolis. Md, on Tuesday,
| November 12th, this poem was reclted
by Miss Kate Williams. Of Baltimore.
as all Of the flags were furled around
| the staff so closely that 1t would be
| Impossible to tell one from the other;
except in the case OF the flag carrie
by the First Maryland Infantry ~, the
l toll 40 n iS 1lnd THIS.
believe. Is spread out. SO that the
politicians who make their pilgrimage
to Annapolis for their States good, and
per diem thrown In. can look Of IT, the ~ g
ma ture; tears unbidden came from. the
| eyes Of the mntrOn and maid alike;
even the stern and battle-stained war
riors of the. Richmond defenses were were
eyes. dimmed by the smoke of bat.
| tie When the excursionists reached
the Naval Academy wharf the band OF
!. the Academy was there and precedeaI
ths pq tSat es1 E1aaa ga
| In a Maryland audience tho wildes
enthusiasm. The column Of ex-Confed'
crates. ladies' and children took up the
@ hd 81 81 selo tWsvf
ca lp 81 gray. The enthusiasm 4
i great; the, column. amid The plaudi !,
III OF Tue -CduclS anu IA4o ltdI4SSo ~ lI'iS
town Of Annapolis. march on. the al
OF "Dixle" ceases; the drum beats tins
for the step:t the band Leader siEna a
to the band, and with notes that VI
bratee and echo from end TO end y, !, .
Is waited to high heaven, When. a
last. we can catch the roll of the piece
bore arms in the Southern cause 81
: distasteful. 'NIarching Through Geor
sia," Suddenly, as II by some master
hand. controlling the wi c|e parade will
, a single pressing OF a button, the cheer
Ing stops, the men march on In 81
4 lerce not sound Is heard, except from
. the hard. e. II still @remirdsssus tina
i, Sherman did march through Georgia
. leaving desolation and ruin In his trail
q Those who could recollect the horro
nf that march could not but renembe
the trail of fire and starvation tina
he swept through In his march from
|. Savannah. Ga through South Cnro'in,
!, 1866.
:, II was on November TO- 1864, tina
, the hordes of Sherman. leaving Atlant,
In their rear, started on their mnrcl
y |of burning and pillaging. that has N
3 equal either In ancient or modern his
Y tory, His march to tho coast WAS un
. disputed. Not company of Confed
n crates was available to resiststhem. Il
y the language of Professor Henry Shep
. hnrd, of Baltimore, Md, II WAS In TIL
!, tstric'eSt sense n crusade against age
9 Wonlanhood aud ,unconscious infancy
y such was the March to the Sea-" ideal