The New York herald., 1871-09-27
BOXES OF TEE PATRIOT DEAD.
Naval Honors to Those Who Fell In tho War
for the Union-Imposing Ceremonies at
Navy Yard and Cemetery.

Columbia paid homage to the memory OF her
patriot dead yesterday in honoring the ashes OF
those who went down In the cause or the republic
TO that sleep which knows no waking upon this side
OF eternity-to those who shall not be disturbed
from repose until the Judgment trumpet shall echo
fore and aft the universe ana call all hands to mus
ter The bones OF four gallant officers who for
seven years and eight months have slept full many
a fatnom deep beneath the blue sea which washes
the harbor of Charleston S. G., were conveyed at
noon yesterday to the Naval Hospital Cemetery,
Flushing avenue, Brooklyn, where they were con-
signed to their native element, mother EARTH with
all the honors which grateful country could con-
Ter, at the hands OF its faithful servants to whom
the duty was assigned.
The remains were those OF engineers who went
down at their post in the engine OF the United
States monitor Weehawken, Oh Sunday, December
8, 1868, IN heavy sea. Efforts were recently made
by the government to recover the battery, &C., of
the lost vessel through the agency of divers and the
latter while pursuing their investigation Ia the
bowels of the Deep found the skeletons OF four men
who are recognized through circunlstancia evi.
dcnce az belonging 10 those whose memory Is
hOnored in these Obselues On last Thursday the
remains, which were contained in q small box TWO
feet long ana a foot and q nalf wide, were re.
celved at the Navy Yard OF this station,
ana were Immediately confined and arrange.
becoming eciat oy Rear Admiral Smith, who pro-
mulgated order directing all the officers attached
TO his command to attend the funeral. The order In
question, as we'll as the arrangements made, were
published at the time exclusively in the HERALD.
AS early as eleven O'Clock yesterd ay morning OH.
GERS and citizens, together with few ladies, began
to assemble within the Navy YARD for the purpose
of witnessing the funeral, which was announced to
leave at twelve NJ. The coffin containing the re-
m a no lad tv,a Hr,k aoa ar
receiving storehouse, opposite the Lyceum Building.
The Union Jack covered the casket which latter was
OF black walnut, heavily silver mounted, ana bore
plate with The following inscription
TINS con cont aims the remains Of four ocers Of the
which foundered Off Charesen S. G.. December g. 1883
w., MERLIN, third assistant Lng.neer' augustus schs.
Third Assistant Engineer; Charles Sponberg Acting Third
Assistant Engineer.
The bier was removed to the vestibulc OF the
Lyceum by guard OF twelve weather beaten able
seamen, from the receiving ship Vermont shortly
before the procession formed and an elegant wreath
and cross OF tube roses ana evergreens was placed
on the Id by loving relatives, who mourn their
loss though years have intervenel since the
first angushcd sigh was drawn from their
bOs0ms by the Intelligence Of the death OF
their dear ones. Among the relatives OF the
deceased present were Mr.. Merriam, an Old and re.
spected resident OF Brooklyn, who came to attend
Mrs. MCGOWAN, who is employed in the United
States Treasury Department Washington as acerk,
who, IN deep mourning, came on to testify her
fidelity to the me mOry or her patriotic husband, En-
giDeer G. W. McGowan. Dark ana sombre clouds
fell ike pail about the city, aud as Ihe coffin was
borne out the vestibue by the sailors the thun-
der rolled In unison with the beating OF the muifel
drums of The Marine Band, and the rain fell In
with those who wept for their relatives and for
those were not remembered in the cort6ge.
The mineral procession formed In the subjolned
Band Of the Marine Barracks,
Company OF Marines, Commanded by
Captain Charles A. Stlllmau.
The COiiin Borne by Sailors,
Paul Bearers, Under Command OF Lieutenant Com
mander John weidman-Lieutenant George w.
De Long, Lieutenant Maunsel b. Field, FIRST AS.
Engineer 4. A. Magee, Assistant Paylnas er VIII
nam Z. MCGOWAN, Assistant surgeon James NJ.
Carriages Containing Relatlyes and Friends OF De
Officers OF the station.
AmOng the latter were noticeable Rear Admiral
II. smith, Captain George Nj Ransom, captain ed
ward Barrett commander y. l.. Bron Commander
manders ii. Y. iced and Day, Pay pireetor Ed
ridge, Chaplain Henderson and several officers from
Marine Barracks. The officers were in ull uniform,
wearing cooked hats, epaulettes, swords ana o
mourning badge upon the arm. They made fine
appearance, despite the furnishing erect of the
neavy rain which they encountered. The line Of
march was as down the Avenue leading from the Ly
thoroughiafe to the Naval Cemetery attached to the
Hospital Grounds, where beneath the great weeping
willows, a cavity was opened In kindred earth TO re-
ceive all that was mortal OF the engineers OF the
luckless monitor W Weehawken. About The grave the
party gathered and listened TO the solemn services
Of the occasion which had called them together
Rev. Mr.. Carmichael read the burial ritual of the
Protestant Episcopal Church, alter which brief
address was maze by Chaplain Henderson. who
spoke In substance as follows-"There is something
impersonal IN death when its visitation Is such as
we see it now. 1t appears before us as the opera
ton OF general and perpetual law: for
counter the traces OF the reign of Death. And it Is
this aspect OF death which impresses us when we
consider how undistingushable Is the rlverin whicn
the neshy part of men is involved; how completely
the special lneamentS that marked the person Of the
departed are efaced BY the grave, so that it is the
SAINT or the statesman, ls at last dissolved. Thus
death closes in upon us like the all-embracing air
which at the same time each man breatnes for hun.
self, while 1t flows together again into Its perpetual
nnliy; or as the ocean. which still tnunders
out that 1t Is one. even when it Is parting
asunder under the keels of thousand
ships. But VIC have to recognize also q personal
aspect in death. There are names and histories and
lineaments that belong to the dead and TO none
other Below the coffin lid there are iaces that
particular souls have moulded, and the marks OF
whose former presence are not utterly Withdrawn.
In the observance OF these rites to-day over
both these aspects of death; for we know
their names and their place In the compact
the seas on which they sunk to honored rest. And
yet IT is good for us 10 remember how representa-.
here, exhumed from the sea and long parted from
human kind. This CONN becomes patent 10 unroll
the curtain that Is closed, to fill our ears again with
the STIR OF mighty people girdng on the sword for
liberties, ana to teacn us that highest truth of the
its Gospel, that no man liveth unto himsef and
man dieth unto HIMSELF How ity may
we recall the words OF Pericles-'rne
whole earth Is the tomb Of iustrOus
men, And with a more pious and blameless spirit
than Saul had when he sought to evoke the de-
parted prophet from the world OF the dead we re-
Ceve these remains as from the long-buried past,
ana bless them as symbols OF the indeslructibe love
Of country that our God in His in6niLe goodness,
has implanted In the breasts of men. Sucn is the
foundation OF our faith that the republic viii be
perpetual"
salute was fired over the grave by the marine
guard. and the assembage dispersed.