The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-08-07
Funeral Ceremonies ut Frankfort, Kentucky.

Funeral Ceremonies a Frankfort, Kentucky.
We publish part of the description given in the Ken
lucky Yeoman of the 22d u of the interesting proceed
ings at Frankfort, at the inement OF the remains OF
those brave men who fell Buena Vista IN the ranks OF
the Kentucky regiments We regret we cannot give the
proceedings in full.
THE FUNERAL cEREMoNIEs.-There are but few in.
stances in modern history where the remains of those
who had fallen in battle were brought back to thel
homes and friends ana received all the res OF oiin
burial, accompanied by every demonstration OF military
and civic honors which their countrymen coud pesiow
To U.S. such custom seems emlnently appropriate IN a
free republic where moral influence exercises almost u
limited control the public mind IT presents glo
nous spectacle to the living, and assures lhe ,l iose
who die in defence of their country instead OF being Tor
gotten have their memories embamed IN The grateful
Tecollectons of the survivors IL rs custom emlnenty
calculated to the spirit OF PATRIOTISM, which Is one
of the safeguards against internal dlssenslons and
foreign aggressions Ii estliies to the world that the
living are unmindful OF what is due to the memory OF
the dead, who in life had served them well Kentucky,
proud to say is the first State which has to the
extent introduced great and emnently patriot
ic custom, and we feel just pride in beng able to
chronicle the first great event OF thus kind in our repub
lie The bodies, the burial of which we are about to
give brief account brought thousands OF miles, III
the heat OF summer, from the torrd zone.
On Tuesday last the goth july the remains OF Colonel
I Wm r. Mckee, Lieut. Col H Clay, Captain VIM T.
Lieut. Jos. Powell, w w. Bayles, VIM. Thwails, n
Ramey, Thomas Wcigart, Alex. G Morgan, c. Jones, H.
Gary NH boz i H. Irotler C. B. thompson, and
ys battles and died in the service inferred In the
State grounds of the Frankfort cemetery, under the
pernendence of the Fayette county committee OF arrange
ments 49,
During the day and evening previous military com
panes, citizens and strangers OF both sexes, commenced
arriving, and on that night town was quite full Ar
rivals continued during nearly all the night and next
morning from dawn until near ten O'Clock, every road
leading TO the literally filled with the human
hrong which continued in unbroken stream to pour
in. BY the time the company assembled in the public
grounds of the State house square, the largest company
Of persons had assembled in the town, which has ever
before been together in Kentucky The day fair and
cool breeze tempered the atmosphere that was not
disagreeably warm
AT ten o'clock, as had been arranged by the committee
the Rev Mr. Brown, of the Presbyterian church, offered
up prayer and delivered short but impressive fune
raj discourse, from platform erected in front of the
capitol On the left of the orator OF the day. by invita-
ton, sat the veteran Col r.. M. johnson, the guest of
the Mckee guards and surrounding HIM on the pla form
the officers of the three regiments of returned vol
unteers Of the United States army, and some officers OF
the day The orator for the OCCASION John c. Brecken-
RIDGE esq, OF fayette, then proceeded to deliver IN an
eloquent and impressive style, the following address,
which was received with deep emotion by as many as
could hear him.
We assembled on mission of gratitude, to honor the
memory of those who evinced the Hottest patriotism by
was Buena Vista-a engraved every American
heart. While whole country represented there TO
and bereavement The mortal remains OF part OF her
who persisted in that battle lie before us and will be
Other citizens fell there, whose bodies lie beside these
their comrades but the separation not eternal The
Commonwealth will be careful to recover the ashes,
well cherish the memory of all her chIdren
will be forgotten; to all belong common grave and
common monument
These solemn obsequies the offspring of
universal as they are noble-confned to no period, cline
people The customs OF preserving the remains of the
Dead OF honoring their memory and erpema'ing their
bes bea from the field Vt h bod of he slams aas
celebrate in rude songs their virtues and exploits In
countries the friends OF the departed at each return OF
Tins civ the
freshness of life 10 the silence and solitude of the tomb
The earth is covered with memorials of the dead The cher
ished relics of ends-ther forms preserved the marble
of the sculptor and the coors of the pantethe public
human memory-lbe mausoeum Of the great--,he SIM
PIE sion" 'h", a.. .o rys"f ri"ee Of tile .bo and
mon feeling of nature. In obedience such sent-
ments, the remains Of heroes recovered
coil OF an enemy and are now restored to the protection
their country Amidst these eternal proofs respect and
honor is proper to express our grateful sense Of their
this OCCASION will relate particulars of their lives
and characters of justice TO them and for the in
William r. Mckee was born in the county of Garrard on
the 18th day OF SeptembeT 1905 and at his death
the 39th year OF his age He of patriotic blood VIM
Mckee, his grandfather was one Of the pioneers of Ken
"f Fly se4 bore he ae her sa
citizen OF the State and for years of repre-
holding that trust he shoudered his musket as private
soldier and served campaign IN the northwest declaring
show his readiness his country any capacity
The subject OF this sketch early imbued similar
fruit His education was received at West Point Where
he graduated with distinction in 1929, and Immediately
entered the army lieutenant in company of the
regiment OF artillery lie continued in the service until
1886, when, the claims of his family demanding attention.
and the army in time OF peace opening avenue to for
distinction he resigned his and
to Lexington. Here, for ten years, he largely
gagged in business pursuits, occupying prominent
in society, and adjoining that station with all the virtues
social life.
When the declared and requistion for voun-
teers made on kentucky, Mckee among the first to
offer his services He volunteered, in his modest Ian
IN in, IL,
iul " was offering OF pure patriotism The
was great for involved the abandonment of extensive
profitable pursuits, and separation from aectonate
y and deyoted friends 1t promised other reward than
public life; his path led not towards political honors his
feelings were all domestic and social He esteemed
privilege to serve his country and in addition peculiar
duty Having been educated at the Military Academy o(
the Union, with the highest of honor CATION
he recognised the national right to his services.
Ii was not reserved Tor him TO in the ranks. With
proper estimate of his merit the governor appointed him
colonel of the I'd regiment of Kentucky infantry His con-
nexion with this command continued with reciprocal SEN
tments of love and confidence until was severed y his
fall Buena Vista. 1t is well known that regiment pos
sessed the high confidence of the commanding general In
the arrangements for battle it posted on the right
where the main attack expected. Afterwards trans
ferred the OF the field it fought under the eve OF
the general When the enemy, the last combined effort
to force Cen Iaylors position poured his from the
left and front upon the centre the "a Kentucky infantry
formed part OF the handful who the shock 1t was
here, while leading his regiment with gaanry above all
PRAISE ana conestmg the ground against odds than
onr TO one that Mckee fell fell in the right line OF duty
fell as became his life comrades
bore his body from the field his grateful country restores
II, with the last honors, TO its kindred dnst
VI such man II is difficult for friend to sneak excep,
IN tne language OIL wares eulogy he favorable op-
IONS rom all men; ah who knew him loved him. His
InE nIrnI. fla-