Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1883-10-26
THE LAST SERVICE.

the bier and the family and other
mourners gathered around. The Ia
dies floral committee then stepped for
! ward and placed upon the caskct a
number of the most beautiful offerings,
which they had brought with them,
These consisted OF Il cross, wreath.
sword, etc. skillfully worked in white
flowers, mostly tuberoses. Commander
Eyster then pronounced the following
from the Grand Army ritual for the
burial OF the dead:
"One by one, as the years roll on.
we are called together to fulfill these
last sad duties OF respect To our COM
radcs of the war. The present, full OF
the cares and pleasures of civil life,
fades away, and we look back to the
time when shoulder to shoulder
on bloody battle fields or around
the guns of our men-of-war, we
fought for our dear old flag. We may
indulge in the hope that the spirit
with which, on land and sea, hardship,
! privation, danger We're encountered BY
our dead heroes,-a spirit uncomplain-
ing, noblv, manfully obedicnt to the
behest Of duty, whereby to-day our
Northern honors are secure and our
loved ones i rest in neace un-
der the pgis of me flag.
will prove a glorious incentive to the
youth, who in ages to come, may be-
called te, uphold the destinies Of our
country. A the years roll ON, we,
too, shall have fought our battles and
be laid away to rest our souls following
the long columns to the realms above,
us grim death, hour by hour, shall
mark its victim. Let us 80 live that
when that time shall come, those we
leave behind may say above our graves,
Here lies the body of true-hearted.
brave, and enrnest defender of our Re-
public. pfadi sftI ~ gnffja1,1e, 81
After an effective choral BY the band
Rev. p. S. Slevin offered prayer.
Chaplain +. B. RafFensperger then
delivered an eulogy on his Oh, and
loved commander. tl t a.f
LAID AWAY. aa4s
Isuring the eloquent address of Rev.
Raftensperger and the accompanying
exercises the sun had been slowly sink
ing in the west, and the shadows of
night were gathering around, as the
two platoons of the Toledo Cadets were
drawn up and with great precision
fred the three volleys over the
bier OF the dead soldier. Then
the casket was taken up again, and to
the mournful strains of dead march
the procession of mourners was re-
sumed through the open ranks of the
| different commands to the chanel,
where the casket was placed on the
trap in the middle of the floor. The
mourners who came inside here were
the members OF the old l4th who were
present. Rev. Slevin spoke us fol
lows:
"Since Almighty God, our Heavenly
| Father, has removed from us this COM
rade We now commit his body to the
tomb, earth to earth, dust to dust,
ashes to ashes, awaiting the glorious
resurrection and the life to come
through our Lord Jesus Christi
He then repeated tine Lords prayer
and pronounced the bene,liction. ,,4
1t was here in the chapel, the light
fading away from earth, only few
rays struggling through the western
window the impressive services,
which had been increasing in their
solemnity, seemed to culminate in the
deepest grandeur. 1t WAS then truly
soldiers burial. suggestive of the vicis-
situdes and the emergencies OF war
The bystanders were thrilled with awe.
a. the lines forced themselves upon
their mines hats ,l
1--WE buried him darkly, at the dead of
night 80 Gi ofti.
Tile survivors Of the gallant old Four
teenth regiment, who had followed their
beloved leader through tn the present
time, We're left almost alone with the
dead, and rs they gathered around they
pcered sadly through the darkness to
the center where he lay, till the chap
lain words had ceased, when the casket
| slowly sank out OF mortal sight.
| In Il few moments more the home
| ward march had been taken up, and
the cemetery was deserted OF its count
less throngs.
sTEEDMAN's OLD REGIMENT
The Fourteenth adopted the follow
ing resolutions Just before marching to
their position in the line:
I'VE are to-day once more brought
lace 10 face with the grave fact that the
old Fourteenth Ohio is fast passing
| away, and Will soon be thing OF the
past. Our old commander is gone,
and We will see him no more here on
earth. As the first Colonel OF our regi-
ment We remember his gallantry with
pitiSf anu Ipf Mo care, pTblccllOll ana
| cnmradcship while ne commanded us
We remember him with warmest atfec-
! ton. tf
We were called upon to mourn his
loss AZ our commander during the war,
when he received just promotion and
the stars OF the General" We now
mourn his loss from among us in his
promotion to those REALMS to which we
are all fast fastening, where, we trust,
he will enjoy that everlasting peace
which should result from the battles OF
life. In life we respected him and
loved him; in death we honor his
memory, and drop our tears over his
remains, ,
Resoi,ed, That in the death OF Major
General James B. Steedman we have
lost Il true friend and comrade, society
brilliant light, the State u useful citi-
zen, our country one Of her bravest and
most distinguished sous.
Resolsed, That we tender to his af-
fiicted family and heartfelt sympathy
in this hour Of their bereavement, and
mingle our. tears with theirs in this
our common loss.