The Portland daily press., 1880-02-04
A MILITARY WEDDING.
Marriage Of Major General Romeyn B.
Ayres and Miss Juliet Opie Hopkins.

St. Thomas church, New York, was the
scene of wedding ceremony at s o'clock Wed
nesday afternoon, which for the military ce-
| lebrities present in full uniform, recalled the
days of war. The groom was Major General
Romeyn B. Ayres of this city, who served with
| distinction during the war. Entering that
struggle in 1861 as Captain of the Fifth United
States Artillery, he was mustered out of SER
vice in 1860 as Major General of Volunteers by
brevet, and transferred to the regular army as
Lieutenant Colonel of the Twenty-eighth In
fantry. A native of this state. Gen. Ayres
was graduated at the Military Academy at
West Point in 1S47, with the rank of Breyet
Second Lieutenant, and assigned to the Fourth
Artillery. In 1852 he was promoted to First
Lieutenant and in 1861 was made Captain and
assigned to the Fifth Artillery. Gen. Ayres
has recently been promoted sfull Colonel and
assigned to the command of Fort McHenry,
the scene of one of the most brilliant actions
in the war of 1872. The bride, Miss Juliet
Opie Hopkins, beautiful brunette, is the
niece and adopted daughter of Mrs. A. F.
Hopkins, of Mobile, Ala, who has been
spending portion of the winter in New York,
ginia. The bridal toilet was one of the most
beautiful and tasteful of the wedding season,
being of the fashionable tint of silk familiar to
modistes as cream white, cut en- trdine, and
trimmed with f1eecy clouds of lace. A bridal
veil fastened with wreath OF orange blossoms
and a magnificent bridal bouquet completed
the toilet. The affair was very quiet one,
but long before o'clock the central space was.
completely filled with officers in uniform, CT
william friends and relatives, and fashionably-
dressed ladies. There were no bridesmaids,
but eight ushers in uniform, who escorted the
guests to their seats. Their names and ranks
were as follows: Col. S. Fletcher, United
States Army; Capt. Chambers McKibbon, Fiji
teenth Infantry; Capt. G. F. Barstow, Third
Artillery; Capt. Erskine Gettings, Third Ar
tillery; Capt. Joseph M. Calef, Third Artill-
cry; Capt. James Chester, Third Artillery, and
Capt. Benjamin 81. Randolph, Third Artillery.
The two former were members during the war
of Gen Ayres's staff, and consequently be-
longed to the Second Observation-Disclosures
the Fifth Army Corps in command of which
Gen. Ayres distinguished himself as brave
and brilliant officer. Col. H. G. Litchfield
performed the duties of best man, and was
master of ceremonies.
The bridal party arrived promptly at 8
o'clock, and the ushers formed two by two.
preceded the bride and her mother leaning
upon the arms of their escorts, to the altar in
front of which the Rev. DR.. Morgan had al
ready taken his place, ritual in hand. The
ceremony occupied only few minutes, during
which every whisper was hushed and every eye
directed to the party occupying the elevated
space within the railing. There was no re-
ception after the ceremony. but wedding
breakfast was servedlto quiet few at the ho-
tel where the BRIDES mother has been tempo
rarily domiciled.
Among the military men present at the cere-
mony were Major General Winfield S. Han
cock and family, Gen. Crittenden and family,
Gen. Gibson, Gen. De Russey, Major Sano,
DR.. and Mrs. Poe and DR.. Middleton.