Printed by the Brannon Publishing Company, this remarkable book covers Selected Poems of FATHER ABRAM J. RYAN........ Often called the "Poet of the Confederacy," Father Ryan joined the Confederacy September 1, 1862 as a Chaplain ( 3 days after 2nd Bull Run)...

This book contains some of Father Ryan's most notable work including: C.S.A., The Furled Banner, The Sword Of Robert E. Lee, In Memory of My Brother, March of the Deathless Dead, In Memoriam... This is only a partial list....

It is interesting to note that Father Ryan's first attempts at poetry—"In Memoriam" and "In Memory of My Brother"—came in response to his brother's death, killed fighting for the Confederacy. His Brother was not yet old enough to be ordained as a Priest, so he convinced his Mother to allow him to go Kentucky to teach at St. Mary's College.....

When War broke out David J. Ryan quit teaching and joined the ranks of the Confederacy....We have found five (5) David Ryan's listed within the CSA Troops...Only one we found out of Kentucky and this was with John Hunt Morgan's Calvary......

The 8th Kentucky Calvary Regiment was formed during the late summer of 1862 and mustered into Confederate service in September. The unit fought in Kentucky, then rode with J.H. Morgan..... We can not confirm this to be the same David Ryan but I am confident someone out there will confirm or correct this.....

After the Civil War Father Ryan retired to St. Mary's parish in Mobile, Alabama, where he continued to write poems in the Lost Cause style for the next two decades. Among the more memorable are "C.S.A.", "The Sword of Robert E. Lee", and "The South". All centered on themes of heroic martyrdom by men pledged to defend their native land against a tyrannical invader....These all are included within this great book.....