The Conquered Banner

The Conquered Banner

by Father Abram Joseph Ryan

Furl that Banner, for 'tis weary;

Round its staff 'tis drooping dreary;

Furl it, fold it, it is best;

For there's not a man to wave it,

And there's not a sword to save it,

And there's no one left to lave it

In the blood that heroes gave it;

And its foes now scorn and brave it;

Furl it, hide it, let it rest!

Take that banner down! 'tis tattered;

Broken is its shaft and shattered;

And the valiant hosts are scattered

Over whom it floated high.

Oh! 'tis hard for us to fold it;

Hard to think there's none to hold it;

Hard that those who once unrolled it

Now must furl it with a sigh.

Furl that banner! furl it sadly!

Once ten thousands hailed it gladly.

And ten thousands wildly, madly,

Swore it should forever wave;

Swore that foeman's sword should never

Hearts like theirs entwined dissever,

Till that flag should float forever

O'er their freedom or their grave!

Furl it! for the hands that grasped it,

And the hearts that fondly clasped it,

Cold and dead are lying low;

And that Banner, it is trailing!

While around it sounds the wailing

Of its people in their woe.

For, though conquered, they adore it!

Love the cold, dead hands that bore it!

Weep for those who fell before it!

Pardon those who trailed and tore it!

But, oh! wildly they deplored it!

Now who furl and fold it so.

Furl that Banner!

True, 'tis gory,

Yet 'tis wreathed around with glory,

And 'twill live in song and story,

Though its folds are in the dust;

For its fame on brightest pages,

Penned by poets and by sages,

Shall go sounding down the ages,

Furl its folds though now we must.

Furl that banner, softly, slowly!

Treat it gently, it is holy,

For it droops above the dead.

Touch it not, unfold it never,

Let it droop there, furled forever,

For its people's hopes are dead!

Obituary; Elwood Ransom Coleman, Sr.

The Times Picayune; Sunday, May 31st, 1998

New Orleans, Louisiana.

Elwood Ransom Coleman, Sr. On Tuesday, May 26, 1998 at 11:30 p.m. Husband by first marriage of Anita Register Young and by second marriage of Lillian Valesquez Coleman. Father by first marriage of William Lester, Elwood Ransom, Jr., John Allen, Marie Antoinette C. Whitman and the late James Michael Coleman. Father by second marriage of Ranson and Evana Coleman. Son of the late John Allen Coleman and Marie Antoinette Follin-Perez of San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Grandson of William Forrest Coleman of Carrollton, GA. and Yndelacia Paredes of Honduras. Brother of John Robert Coleman , the late John Dean (Coleman) and Ethel C. de Buining. Also survived by 13 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. Aged 78 years. A native of LeCeiba, Honduras and a resident of New Orleans, LA. for 73 years.

Relatives and friends of the family; also VFW Post 5174 in Slidell,LA. are invited to attend the Funeral Mass at Leitz-Eagan Funeral Home Chapel, 4747 Veterans Blvd. near Clearview on Monday, June 1, 1998 at 2:00p.m. Interment at Garden of Memories Cemetery.

Transcribed from an original copy of The Times Picayune newspaper, New Orleans, Louisiana, Sunday May 31, 1998, page B-5, by Woody Coleman on 6-10-09.

Death of Mrs. Allen Coleman

Obituary, Carroll County Times, February 9th, 1877: Death of Mrs. Allen Coleman,(maiden name: Cynthia Florence Riggs wife of William Allen Coleman ) of Honduras.


On last Monday evening the remains of Mrs. Coleman, wife of Mr. Allen Coleman of Honduras, were received at this place. From what we can learn, Mrs. Coleman left Honduras some thirty or forty days ago for the purpose of returning to this county where she formerly lived for the restoration of her health. She was accompanied by her brother in-law Mr. Jno. Coleman who went out to Honduras, from this county, last spring, besides she had along with her two children, one a son of twelve or thirteen years of age, and the other a baby some six or seven months old. As we have stated, Mrs. Coleman left Honduras sick, and in crossing the Gulf of Mexico, on the way to New Orleans, her troubles were no doubt added to by the death of her babe. Being far from land at the time of its death there was no other alternative but to cast the remains of the little one into the Gulf. This was no doubt a terrible shock to the mother, already very feeble, and she did not long survive. She died we are told after she had arrived in this country, on the cars between New Orleans and Montgomery, (we have not been able to find out, at what exact point). and her remains were coffined in Montgomery, and brought on as we have stated to this place Monday evening. From here they were carried Monday night to the Sixth district of this county, where they were buried the next day.Mr. Allen Coleman the husband of the deceased is a son of Major Coleman of this county. He went to Honduras after the war. His wife, the deceased, was also a native of this county. Her maiden name was Riggs.February 16, 1877 ------We understand that the babe of Mrs. Coleman, who died on her way from Spanish Honduras to this county, was not thrown over in the Gulf, as stated in the notice in reference to her death, but was buried in Balize, British Honduras.



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Burial: Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery, Carroll county, Georgia.
Headstone Inscription:

"Sleep my dearest sleep, My sorrow cannot disturb thee, Altho I should ever weep, and ever sacred thy memory keep."
SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF MRS CYNTHIA F. COLEMAN
Wife of W.A. Coleman and Mother of J.W. & W.F. Coleman

Born March 27, 1837 Died February 3rd, 1877; Aged 39 years 10 months and 24 days;
Neighbor and devoted christian 21 years;Member of the Missionary Baptist Church"

Note: Photograph above is that of Cynthia Florence Riggs Coleman and her son, William Forrest Coleman. Date & location (probably Carrollton, GA.) unknown.