Lull After the Storm — Dan Ryan

Lull After the Storm: describes in vivid detail what may have occurred in the United States under the Johnson and Grant Administration. The narration is by a career naval officer just before his retirement and serving President Johnson in the White House and President Grant as Superintendent of the Naval Institute. The historical events of 1867 through 1877 are carefully followed. The imagination of the author provides rich characters in powerful settings from the mountains of Nevada to the ports of the Baltic. The time old story between a man and woman raising a family continues throughout the book. The naval officer, married to President Buchanan's sister, see their son accepted to and graduate from the Naval Academy, their oldest daughter accepted and attending Harvard and their youngest daughter enters Columbia Teachers College.

Scenes are set carefully with attention to accurate research of the low country of South Carolina as well as our Nation's Capital circa 1867-77. The People's Standard History of the United States written by Edward S. Ellis and published by the Woolfall Company have provided background materials, maps of the period and needed information on how the federal government was organized and functioned during this period of history.  Two additional sources were used for the chapters on the US Naval Academy: Sorley, History of the Naval Academy, published in 1876 and Benjamin, the US Naval Academy, published in 1900.