The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-10-06
WASHINGTON.
THE SHERMAN WEDDING.
eRANDEsT AFFAIR OF THE SEASON.

LIEUT.. FTCH-CR0wD AT TIE CHURCH
ADDRESS BY ARCHBISHOP PURcELL-rHE
PRESIDENT RUN AWAY wITH--AN ELEGANT
RECEPTION.
WASHINGTON, D. c. Oct. 1.-The marriage OF
Thos. w. Fitch, of tie engineer corps OF the U.
s. navy te Miss Maria Ewing Sherman, daugh-
terof General sherman. took place in st. Alloy
sius (Rornan Catholic) church this morning at IL
O'Clock. The marriage was solemnized by the
Most Reverend ]. b. Purcell, Archbishop of Gin
cinnati a personal friend of Mrs. Sherman. The
church, which seats nearly two thousand per-
sons. was densely crowded, that number OF finvi-
tations having been issued. Among
the guests we're President Grant and
the members of the cabinet, the members OF
the diplomatic corps, distinguished army and
navy officers and prominent citizens. Nearly
an were accompanied by ladies. The number Of
notables present exceeded that on any like Occa-
sion ever assembled in this city. A nuptial
bishop Purcell, attended by the Rev. Fa her
Healey, president OF Georgetown College: the
Rev Father Mooney, o. Brooklyn, pastor OF the
church to which Mr. Fitch, the groom, belongs;
the Rev. Father Mcguire. pastor and the Rev.
Father Jamison, asss ant pastor OF 81; Aioy SINS,
and a number of 9th r cergymen. The music.
was ssGirogo's Mass in c. sang By he choir OF
the charyh, assisted by double quartette. The
man. sisters OF the bride; Miss Phillips. OF Gin
cinnati; Miss Fanny Marcy, daughter OF Gen:
Was6ington: Nj IS Marie Patterson of St. Louis;
Miss EIla Ewing and Miss Bessie Smith. of Gin
cinnati. The groomsmen were charles Rae, OF
the engineer corps; Lieutenant Hunter, Pay
master Cochrane, Edwin Wells, OF the engineer
corps, aud Lieutenant Wood, U. 5: N; Iieuten-
man, brother of the bride, and Mr.. Calvin. OF
Boston. The bridal party entered the church In
Fila SHERMAN Lieutenant Russell and Miss
Bessie Smith, Edwin Wells and Miss HI a Ewing,
Thos f. sherman and Miss Marie fattsIson, MI:
Cochrane and Miss Fanny Marcy. Lieutenant
Hunter and Miss Phillips, Charles Rae and Miss
Lizzie sherman, the bride leaning upon the
arm of her father. The groom stotd
within the sacristy near the door lead
ing 10 the sanctuary, and as the bridal party
apTnroached the altar he passed through the
sanctuary leaning upon the arm OF Gen. Hugh
Ewing, brother OF Mrs. sherman and met the
bride near the entrance TO the sanctuary, where
he received her nom her father. The entire
party then approached the altar railing, apd af-
ter kneeIing short time, took the positions
assigned them AS the procession marched
down the aisle, Memberships wedding march
was rendered upon the organ. Preceding the
Mrs. Gen. Sherman with her brother, Judge Z.
B. Ewing, Gen. i. G. Ewing Senator sherman,
Judge BARLEY and Col. MoultOn- All being IN
readiness. the Most Reverend Archbishop en-
tered the sanctuary from the sacristy, and pro-
ceeded with r f. ... .s,.I
THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY, m
the bride and groom receiving the holy coIz-
munion At the conclusion of the mass. a
special blessing was given and the ceremony
trimmed with white satin tuile and orange
blossoms and pearl jewelry. The bridesmaids
wore dresses of white silk trimmed with white
Illusion, each alternate bridesmaid having her
dress also trimmed with pink and blue flowers
esTng % Rnk e s 40 ss the g elI noe s
sanctuary. The groom and groOmsmen, with
the exception of Thomas sherman and Mr..
Galvj u, were in full uniform NJ ssrs. Sherman
and Calvin were in full evening dress AS the
procession left the church triumphant march
l,sNfo nnd
married couple leave this evening At for a
br dial tour north aud west reaching St. Louis,
their future residence, about the 10Th inst. In
Brooklyn the bridal party will be entertained
by Mrs. Fitch, mother of the groom, and In Lam
c.ster OHIO, by TelstVes a Oh MIS- ,S sherman re-
bishop Purcell read portions of scripture rela-
tive to the sacrament of matrimony and then
m srriage ceremony had hever before been per-
| formed in the United States under more inter-
| esting circumstances than at present. He was
told that among those in the churh was the
ruler of the great republic the greatest nation OF
| er OF the bride who had achieved such fame as a
| soldier, and who was most devoted patriot.
| There were other brave officers and generals
present who had gained the admiration and re-
| spect of every nation of the earth. He then re-
| ferred the sanctity of the marriage tie and
mated under such auspices as were witnessed
| to-day there was every reason TO believe that
Almighty God would bless the couple; Ihe
referring to her grandfather and grandmother,
Judge and Mrs. Ewing, and the noble traits OF
ment about to be administered and said
that marriage. is essentially a religious
ceremony, and not a. mere civil con-
sacrament by the Savior of :he world, He con-
upon the good order maintained, by which was
shown their respect for the house of God AID for
ia1d Ss Te rde as and 20 his a e
Wood, of the diocese of Philadelphia, was pres
ent and occupied dais on the right side OF the
aE %tshb 1 the Re Rev Fsther Boy a Of H the ss
tiers Church OF this city. The bride snd groom
and attendants were all within the sanctuary
rail during the entire ceremony. faf'
THE FLORAL DECORATIONS -I1
at the church were not very elaborate but In
excellent taste. The main altar, as well as those
upon either side, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin
and st. Joseph, was filled with cut flowers, and
a few plants were distributed near them. The
crowd outside the church was SO great chat an
entrance could not be gained for fifteen or twenty
minutes after arriving at the church.. In the
church, the right of the center aisle, the front
pews were reserved for the family, and on the
left for the president and cabinet In the rear of
the family seats were reserved for members of
Gen. Shermans staff. On the road to the
wedding the horses attached 10 the presidents
carriage ran away. The carriage contained the
president and Mrs. Grant and Marshal Sharpe
and wife. None of them were. injured, though
the carriage was smashed. The president i'm
mediate ely hailed another carriage and proceeded
TO church, arriving there about five minutes
after the services had begun. When he entered
the church he passed down one of the side aisles
with Mrs Grant, followed by Marshal and Mrs.
Sharpe, and took seat near the sanctuary rail.
Senator Sherman, who was in the center
of the church with his family, noticed
the president at the side, and passing over
to where he was, escorted Mrs. Grant to
the pew which he1eft and then surrendered his
seat to the president and took one on side aisle
Tor himself The officers of the army and navy
present were all in full uniform, and seats were
reserved for them aud their ladies upon either
side Of The church. About one half of the church
was left for the general public TO whom in Vita
tions had been extended, and the crowd was the
greatest in this part of the edihce. The cere-
mony over the bridal party returned TO Gen..
Sherman's. residence and received their rfiiends
from to o'clock, the bride and groom in the