The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-02-27
From Tie E,iycfeid -ilrcrttscr.
The Burial of Preston S. Brooks.


Mcssrs, kirkwood and Lowndes of Charles.
ton; and Mr.. Gibbes and College Com
mittec from Columbia. The Coffin was ia,
ken in hand at the depot Ivy the Mayor and
Aldermen OF Augusta and quietly conveyed
IN the City hearse to the City Hall, where
IT was placed in state in the centre of the
large and handsome Council Chamber.
Hundreds were there in momrnful silence, to
look upon the scene. Scarcely word was
audible for minutes at time, as the i'm
mense crowd came and went in orderly sue
cession. The feeling was evidently deep
and unaffected; and will long he adverted
to by many citizens Of South Carolina then
present, rs manifestation at ouce grateful
to us and honorable to Geo'giaus.
at quarter past o'clock 7. NJ, it was
announced that the procession was formed
without, and ready to accompany the corpse
to tue town Of Hamburg on the South Car
olina side. The coffin was again taken in
a'and by the Augusta members of Council
ana carried to the street, where it was pla-
eed IN large and elegant hcarse drawn by
tour black horses, which had been procured
TOR the occasion through the Mayor of Char
lesion. The procession consisted Of a troup
of Cavalry, four uniformed companies of
infantry, longtrain of carriages and a
number Of citizens on foot-the whole pre-
cedcd 10y a band Of music with mufilcd
drums. The length of the column could
not have been less than Il halfmile. As it.
passed through Broad Street, almost every
piazza, balcony and window were crowded
with ladies, eager to witness this sad trib
ute to the gallant deceased. Many of the
prominent business houses were closed
And the whole occasion was, every way.
one to be long remembered. We cannot
avoid repeating, that the manner in which
our Augusta friends have acted in this mat
ter has drawn many heart towards them,
and has gone tar TO make us feel more
warmly alive to the fact, that Georgia and
Carolina arc indeed sisters, bound toretb-
er by tics of feelings as well as of interest.
At little before dark the procession
aialtcd in front ofthc American Hotel, Ham
'hurg when the coffin was taken from the
slearsc by the officers Of the Volunteer Com
panles, and deposited in the, Hotel parlor.
which had been appropriately hung with
black. The escort from Augusta then re-
turned TO that city ; And the remains Of our
iamcnted representative were in the keep
ing OF his constituents and friends. A
guard OF Honor kept watch during the
night.
Early in the morning, the entrance and rooms
OF the Hotel began TO fill with anxious cit
'zcns, who came to drop 4 tear upon the
cold, polished lid,'shat concealed the face
and form they had soSlatcly admired in life. |
a young brother Of the deceased, obsery.
ing the kindness Of this demonstration, re-
Gucstcd three particular friends to examine
tue face of the corpse and,if proper, to ex
hlblt 1t through the glass plate underneath
the outer case. 1t was found to present
still most natural appearance, and every
one, old and young, male and female, had
the opportunity Of looking hurricdly upon
the pallid but still regular features of Pres
ton S. Brooks.
We must not omit to mention here, the
readiness and zeal evinced by the people of
Hamburg on this occasion. The town au-
thorities had every necessary arrangement
made, and the citizens generally entered in
to the manifestations Of respect with much
cordially. /
AT 8 o'clock, A. NJ, (Friday) the coffin
was conveyed by the Hamburg Committee
to the Hearse. 1t was escorted out of the
corporate limits by large number of citi- |
zens on foot, under tile command of Col. !
Stuart Harrison, one of the Marshals of the |
preceding day. Upon the hill above the
town this escort opened ranks, facing. in
wards; And the Hearse, flanked by the
Field Officers Of the 7th Regiment, and fol-
lowed by number of carriages conveying
the various committees, passed through on
its way to Edgefeld Village where the inter
mcnt was to take place.
At half past o'clock p. NJ, the corteee.
now very largely increased by the falling
into line Of many carriages on the route. an |
preached Edgefeld. The approach was
announced by signal gun fired in the out
skirts OF the Village. A few miles ont, the |
head Of the procession was met by the Edge
field Hussars, (Capt. Grihih,) who then con. !
Quoted the advance. Within sight of the
town, long array Of citizens was marshal
led on either side Of the road, who were at
once placed in line Immediately in front of
the Corpse, the Whole under the guidance
OF Maj. s.. S. Tompkins, assisted bysLieuten-
ants Adams and Penn. And thus the en-.
tire procession entered the village square.
We had not, until then, formed correct
idea ofthe numbers in attendance. The
large area was literally filled with mon, wo.
men and children. The body was at onco
taken into one Of the smaller apartments Of
the Court House, that the family of the de-
ceased might in private take their melan-
choIy leave of it. 1t was then placed unon
the table ofthe Court Room and thousands
came to look for'a moment upon the strong
man stricken down BY the hand of death in
the mid career of his earthly exertions. Not
the least affecting part Of this scene, was tile
nuinter, Of servants who came crowding in,
by permission, to see the face of the dead
once more before it went down into the
gtaRe; among. them, a weeping old woman
who had nursed the deceased in his child
hood.
sSAt length, the: privilege Of looking an
uSkaviug beeii accorded 10 all tho 70.