The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1864-01-08
Occasional Correspondence of the Register.
rUNERALOF GEN. BUFORD
A CONTRAST.
WASHINGTON, D. e., Dec. 2l, 1853.

witnessed in this city took place on last
Sabbath, (Dec. 2Oth), in the Presbyterian
Church, corner of II street and New York
Aveuue--it was the fuueral of General Blu
ford The scene was truly imposing in
whatever light We view 1.-THE audience
the e6ifce-the services-the deceased or
the day.
Gen. Buford died of typhoid fever at
tle residence of Gen. Stoneman, en- Tours
day, the l7sbs' December and his; body
was kept till the 20th, that b's wife, who
lives in Rock Islanl, Illinois might be
present at the interment. Unfortunately
the cars on which she was travelling took
fire. She managed escaping death, and be-
ing much exposed, was too feeble when she
did ar We to be present at this sorrowful
scene. As large c'ncour:e ofpeople were
expected at the church curing the early
part Of the afternoon, your correspondent,
being we'll acquainted with Dr. Gurlry, the
pastrr, repaired to bis study in the rear OF
the lecture room Of tn. basement of the 8.
cred edt1re, and was BY him invited to seat
in the pulpit Being there seated he bad q
hne opportunity Of viewing the whole
scene, and OF hearing every word that was
said
The coffin was q costly one, and richly
ornamsnred. A beautiful wreath of ever
greens and the Stars ID stripes lay on it
In the front peg sat Generals Halleck, Ca
70
Htintz leman, MArtindale and Secretary
Stanton. Behind these, Mrs. Lincoln,
Pet LongfeIlow, ana hosts other
military, political aud literary dig
ntaries-al solemn and apparently in
the presence Of Death, whose scythe is soon
to lay their heads low As oursI Some OF
these high officials had tears to shed, and
they shed them. 1t was affecting to seetde
care worn, oae-limbed S.ckles weeping at
III. bier of his fellow Generall Was this the
place, sketch of the p:rsonel OF these dis
tinguished men might be given, but We have
row to do with the dead, not the living, Of
them hereafter As has been hlntad, the
capacious aud beautiful edi6ce was filled to
overho wing long before the hour for the
service 10 Commence !. ID arrived, The en
entrances, on eacn side, were blocked, and
the street packed. It was truly splendid
civic denon,tration in honor Of a much be-
loved officer, md great aud good man.
At twp o'clock tho SERVICES began with
solemn chant by the choir. DR.. Gurley next
read several selcct portions OF Scripture,
and then came tho address. 1t was brief,
chaste, pointed aud impressive, and li,tned
to throughout with tae strictest attention
Maj Gen Buford dose c4nded from an ex-
csllent and we'll known family in Kentucky
lie gradu tied at West Point 10 1913 stand
lug high in his class. He catered into th-
active service of bis country Immediately
on the breaking cut of the rebellion, and
soon rose to meritorious distinction in the
eyes of the nation. He was said to be mod
est, yet brave; retiring, yet efficient; quiet,
yet vgilant; uDostentatious, yet prompt,
and careful of the lives of his men with an
almost parental solicitude. His dangers on
the battle field had been many aud
imminent Unharmed he passed them all
to die of fever in the house Of friend and
fellow officer in the army. The Govern
.nent honored him to the last. But few
minutes before his departure, his commits
sion as Major General was placed in his
feeble hauds-a distinction Of little service,
it is true, to him, but one as gratifying TO
the nation as it was complimentar, to his
family. Taking up the freshly written
commission, be viewed it for a moment.
then laid it aside, and soon his patriotic
heart grew col. and ati in death. Thus
died Maj r Get al Bu ord--a mai whom
often saw in Il, month of November ri
ding in great state IN the vicinity Of Brandy
and Culpepper, Va.
The services in the Church concluded the
es ,ort in attendance, consisting OF Regi-I
ment of the Invalid C,rps, Battery L, Of
the 5th Regulars. q Squadron OF Cavalry
and ca riages containing pail bearers these
were Mai Gems. Schofeli, Doubleday,
Sickles, Casey, Heintz >lnan, Warren, Han
cock and Augur) took their places in the
procession under command of Maj)r
General Stoneman who arranged all
the details of this military display
The procession then moved along Penusyl-
vania Avenue to Baltimore depot euroute
for West Point where he is inferred.
About this time we attended another fun
eral service. IT was at Certain Hospital
Name of the decsas uakuoSn TO me
body living ou board 10 the Dead House
amid a number Of Others. Mourners-one
woman, the widos-audieace. another wo.
man, the nurse. Pail be lrsrs three negroes.
Cofin a rou; %, board box-hearse miser-
ably, dirty, old ambulance. Place Of in
termsnt-the Soldiers Home. What
contrast! Both may have died the death
Of the righteous. II so these outward
mark, # r,sp.ct OF Of neglect are nothing
no, a,e they now aught to them if they
did not so die. The real d. Inference between
these men, may NOT haye been 50 great al
rail. It is position that gives honor and
i,tiaction. You have read Of the Iich man
nd Lazarus. Render: let Gs SO live that
will bs gain fox as to de. MAHs-