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Abram Joseph Ryan, poet and priest, was a very impulsive writer. During the Civil War Ryan would drag the wounded off the battlefield. His poem "The Sword of Robert Lee," tells of General Lee's greatness.

The Sword of Robert Lee

Forth from its scabbard, pure and bright,

Flashed the sword of Lee!

Far in the front of the deadly fight,

High o'er the brave in the cause of Right

It’s stainless sheen, like a beacon light,

Led us to Victory!

Out of its scabbard, where, full long,

It slumbered peacefully,

Roused from its rest by the battle's song,

Shielding the feeble, smiting the strong,

Guarding the right, avenging the wrong,

Gleamed the sword of Lee!

Forth from its scabbard, high in the air

Beneath Virginia's sky--

And they who saw it gleaming there,

And knew who bore it, knelt to swear

That where that sword led they would dare

To follow--and to die!

Out of its scabbard! Never hand

Waved sword from stain as free,

Nor purer sword led braver band,

Nor braver bled for a brighter land,

Nor brighter land had a cause so grand,

Nor cause a chief like Lee!

Forth from its scabbard! How we prayed

That sword might victor be;

And when our triumph was delayed,

And many a heart grew sore afraid,

We still hoped on while gleamed the blade

Of noble Robert Lee!

Forth from its scabbard all in vain

Bright flashed the sword of Lee;

'Tis shrouded now in its sheath again,

It sleeps the sleep of our noble slain,

Defeated, yet without stain,

Proudly and peacefully!

The general theme of the poem is how good General Lee was at doing his job, and keeping his men from dying. After the first battle, Lee’s men win. "Roused from its rest by the battle’s song," it’s a happy time and the men are praising General Lee.

During the second battle Lee’s men start to lose, so they have to pull back. "That where that sword led they would dare…/ To follow—and die." "Out of its scabbard! Never hand…/ Waved sword from stain as free,…/ Nor purer sword led braver band,…/ Nor braver bled for a brighter land,…/ Nor brighter land had a cause so grand,…/ Nor cause a chief like Lee!" Even after Lee lead his men in to a bloody, bad outcome battle, his men still love him and thought that he was the best general.

"Forth from its scabbard! How we prayed…/ That sword might victor be;…/ And when our triumph was delayed,…/ And many a heart grew sore afraid,…/ We still hoped on while gleamed the blade…/ Of noble Robert Lee!" In this passage, Ryan hints that Lee's troops are waiting outside of Appomattox Courthouse.

Ryan uses a variety of literary devices in this poem. In the first sentence, "Forth from its scabbard, pure and bright," Ryan uses alliteration with the "R" sound. "Out of its scabbard, where, full long…/ It slumbered peacefully." Ryan uses personification in this sentence, because it adds to the poem by saying that Lee's sword helped him win the battle. Ryan puts a lot of imagery in this poem so the people not in the Civil War could imagine what it was like to be a general. "Far in the front of the deadly fight," the reader can imagine being in the front of the line. "It’s stainless sheen, like a beacon light," the reader can imagine a bright light. "Out of its scabbard, where, full long," the reader can imagine the sword out of it's case and by Lee's side.

Father Ryan was born on February 5, 1838, in Hagersville, Maryland. Later in his boy hood his family moved and settled in St. Louis, Missouri. Ryan Attended The Christian Brothers’ School. He went to Niagara University, Niagara Falls, New York, to study theology. He became a priest on November 1, 1856. Father Ryan was raise, taught, and lived in the north but had great passions for the confederacy. Father Ryan thought that Robert E. Lee was godlike. Of all of Ryan’s poems "The Sword of Robert Lee," was the best know. Ryan moves to many different parishes. He never left the south and his favorite parish was Saint Mary’s Church, which is the site that Ryan is buried. Father Ryan has a bed and breakfast inn named after him in Mississippi.

Abram Joseph Ryan

By: Jeff

Fisher J.H. School

Abram Joseph Ryan was born on February 5, of 1838, and died on April 22, of 1886. Ryan wrote magnificent poems that people loved.

Abram Joseph Ryan was born in Hagersville, Maryland on February 5, 1838. In his youth years, Ryan and his family moved to St. Louis. In St. Louis, Ryan attended the Christian Brothers' School. Ryan then moved to Niagara Falls, New York to attend the Niagara Falls University to study theology. On November 1, of 1856 Ryan became a priest. Father Ryan had great passions for the south. The 1^st of September, of 1862, Father Ryan joined the Confederate States as a chaplain. During the battles, Ryan would pull wounded Confederate soldiers off the battlefields. Ryan's younger brother (a Confederate Soldier) was killed in battle. This event inspired Ryan to write "In Memoriam" and "In Memory of My Brother." Father Ryan saw General Robert E. Lee as godlike. Ryan's most loved poem was "The Sword of Robert E. Lee." People all over the South read and loved this poem. All of Ryan's poems were easy to read and understand. Father Ryan moved from parish to parish all over the South. His favorite parish was Saint Mary's Church in Mobile, Alabama. On April 22^nd, of 1886, Father Ryan died. Ryan was buried in his favorite parish, the Saint Mary's Church. There is where Father Ryan felt closes to god.

The Sword Of Robert E. Lee

Proudly and peacefully!

Father Ryan

Other Poems By Father Ryan

THE CONQUERED BANNER

Http://users.erols.com/kfraser/banner.htm

A LAND WITHOUT RUINS

Father Ryan has a Bed and Breakfast Inn located in Biloxi, Mississippi. It is the oldest building in the South.

Bibliography + Links

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~CAP/LEE/lee1.html (pic. of Robert Lee)

Http://www.geocities.com/Bourbonstreet/9710/ryan.html

Http://www.gulf-coast.com/info/hotels/ryan.html

Http://www.geocities.com:0080/BourbonStreet/9710/fr_frames.htm Crated By: Steve L. Johnson. (pic of Father Ryan)