Yes, you are quite right, about Cape and Perryville being UNION towns during the War of Southern Independence. In fact, you are right when you said that they still are. Both Perryville and Cape Girardeau were/are fanatically Radical Republican circa 1854 to 1877 types. Now, Jackson, our county seat, during our war of Independence was more southern in it's sympathies, but not totally, there were many union spies and sympathisers there, as well, but not to the extent as there was in Cape and Perryville.

As to your contention that perhaps there is no marker, no ocmmemeration of Father Ryan, the Poet Priest of the Confederacy in Cape Girardeau, I would totally agree with you that it is because of this fanatical Radical Republican bent of the citizenry here following the war, except for the fact that we do have a Confederate Soldier Memorial in Cape Girardeau. It stood in the median on the Cape Girardeau side of the Mississippi River Bridge until several years ago. It is now on the City Courthouse grounds in Cape, and was rededicated by the Sons of Confederate Vetarans just a couple years ago.

Cape Girardeau and Perryville have had strong Catholic influence though the years, but I would bet that even more than their pro-Lincolnite views, and a few who perhaps preceived him as a "Secessionist," that it was the fact that many here either lost track of Father Ryan, or, did not fully appreicate the heights that he had achevied during and following the war for his poetry.

Therefore, no marker, no commemoration in Cape Girardeau of this great man, this Poetic Priest of the Confederacy.