[This poem appeared very soon after the surrender of
the Confederate armies, and was probably the first, as it
is the finest, poetical expression of reverent regret for
the Lost Cause, without any touch of bitterness in its
loss. The author was a Catholic priest, who wrote a number
of poems of merit, though none that appealed so strongly
as this one does to the generous sympathy of the victor
with the sorrow of the vanquished. The author was born in
Norfolk, Va., August 15, 1839, and died in Louisville, Ky.,
April 22, 1886.--EDITOR.]
[Illustration]
[Illustration]