The New York herald., 1879-07-13
THE DEAD PRINCE
The Body Deposited Beside that
of Napoleon Iii.
SCENES AT CHISELHURST.
Overwhelming Grief OF the
Empress Eugene.
CLINGING TO THE COFFIN.
Royal Pallbearers and Distin-
guished Mourners.
THE FUNERAL CEREMONIES.
The Coffin Hidden Beneath a Hill
Of Valley Violets.
CLINGING TO THE COFFIN.
Royal Pallbearers and Distin-
guished Mourners.
THE FUNERAL CEREMONIES.
The Coffin Hidden Beneath Hill
Of Valley Violets.
[BY CABLE TO THE HERALD

CHIsELHURsT, July II, 1879.
The last sad scenes connected with the funeral
of the Prince Imperial of France are ended. The
body rests now in the little Church of st. Mary
leon I'LL A day of mourning and OF woe
it has been, not only in the pretty
little Kentish village Of Chiselhurst,
but in the whole of England. Queen
Victoria mourned with the bereaved Empress,
and many thousands of English women wept
to-day though they were not present. Never
has the death of prince caused SO much grief
To explain the reason why this is SO is difficult
but the human heart loves to grieve at times as
well as to laugh.
TO CHIsELHURsT.
In my despatch of last night described the
funeral cortege as it passed over the hills be-
yOnd Woolwich and wended it's way toward
Chiselhurst, where the Empress awaited the
home bringing of her dead boy. How solemn,
how impressive was the scene, and what
strange thoughts were brought to the mind,
thinking of the griefstrickcn mother, who
had seen her boy prince, around whom
clustered so many beautiful hopes, waiting to
receive the body slain SO remorselessly by Zulu
assegais! What temptation to write once
more the stories with which you are by this
time 80 familiar! On the 9th of February
last the young Prince left Southampton
for Zululand, anxious to strengthen the
ties of friendship with England. On
the day previous to his departure he was ad-
mitted to an interview with Her Majesty Queen
Victoria, who presented him at parting with d
diamond ring in token of her good wishes. The
day before he left Chiselhurst he went to the
little Church of st. Mary and prayed over the
tomb of the father by whose side he was laid
50 solemnly to-day.
THE GATHERING AT woOLwICn.
The troops detailed to take part in the funeral
parade assembled on Woolwich Common in re-
view order at early hour this morning. The
column was formed in the following manner =.
A troop of the Fifth Royal Irish Lancers; the
riding establishment of the Royal Artillery the
mounted band of the Royal artillery three bat
teries (nine-pounders) of the Royal Horse Artil-
lery; one battery (sixteen-pounders) of the
Royal Artillery service wagons with thirty
rounds of ammunition per gun; the
cadets of the Royal Military Academy
On arriving at Chiselhurst Common they halted
near the north entrance to Camden Place, form
ing the guard of honor and firing party. The
first battalion of the Twenty third Fusers also
sent one company under the command of an
officer to form guard of honor at Chiselhurst.
This regiment, it may be noted, distinguished
itself at Waterloo against the great Napoleon.
Strange, that the heir of the Bonapartes was es-
corted to his last resting place by the troops of
his great ancestors greatest enemy.
THE NIGHTS VIGIL.
The poor Empress was prey to overwhclm
ing grief on the arrival of the body at Camden
House last night. 1t was supposed that she had
retired to the secusion of her boudoir, but, ON
friends, she had silently gone into the room set
apart rs the mortuary chamber. No sooner
had the coffin entered tho door than
. shrek revealed the presence of the
bercavcd mother. She was led away,
weeping bitterly. At midnight, she again dc.
seconded to the room of death and lay PROSTATE,
kissing tho plate and moaning the name .'Iouis.,
She remained thus four hours when she sunk
into sleep from utter exhaustion. At seven
o'clock this morning she was again found kneel-
ing mt the collins side M. Rouher and others re-
manned outside fearful of the consequences of such
intensity of grief. AT nine o'clock, however,
the Empress was wonderfully firm. She took
tho pitcous passion of hopeless sorrow, kissed
the name on the coffin plate in token of ever
lasting farewell. Friends of her youth and of
the days of her greatness gently led her out OF
the room.
THE FUNERAL DAY.
After the mourniul vigil ut Camden Place,
in the Chapclle Ardent, the day, 50 memorable
in tho chcqucred history of tho Bonapartcs,
broke cloudy, threatening rain. Chiselhurst
Common, from early hour, began to be
throngcd with visitors, who came to see how
the bitter sorrow of the Bonapartes was
expressed. Special trains from London brought
vast crowds of people us early as half-past
seven In the morning, including great numbers
of French. The Common was crowded