Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-07-23
PASSING AWAY.
LAST HOURS OF THE HERO OF
APPOMATOX.
Closing Scenes in the Life of Cen
eral Grant-The World Watch
ing the End.
ESPECIAL BY TELEGRAPH TO THE REconp-uNoSI

MOUNT McGREGoR, July 22d.-The early
morning hours at the Grant cottage were
cool and refreshing on the yeranda, where
an incandescent electric light was burning
all night. The thermometer marked at
o'clock this morning TO This was equal
to the temperature maintained in the sick
room while General Grant remained in
New York, and to it was added this morn
ing the sweet smell of the pine trees that
bend over the cottage root Between and
3 A. NJ, the gray tint of another day crept
up the horizon beyond the Green Mount
the last earthly day of the
sick man sitting within the cottage parlor.
About and around the cottage all was still
and quiet, except for the constant tWitter of
some belated bird in the punches of pines.
Occasionally the nurse walked out upon
the piazza for fresher air and a glimpse OF
night, and at nearly o'clock Mrs. Grant
came out upon he veranda and seated her
self in one of many deserted willow chairs
that We're scattered about. Suddenly there
came the sound of rafting, laborious
cough from within, and Mrs Grant left the
piazza quickly and seated herself by the
Generals side, slowly tanning the sick
mans face. The cough was not severe, bui
only incidental.
MINIsTERING TO THE GENERALS WANTS
The morning had passed 3 o'clock and
the time had come to administer his food
The nurse touched the shoulder of DR.
Douglas as he lay asleep on a couch in the
same room. He arose and administered
the food, and aftprward cleared the Gen.
erals throat. As the physician laid aside
his appliances again, General Grant leaned
forward in his chair and signifed desire
that the lamp should be brought The
nurse brought the lamp and held it up al
the sick mans shoulder. and at that mo-
ment the General turned his face toward
the light, and upward, to bid the nurse
bring his pad and pencil. His wish was
not at the moment understood, and turn
ing triile further the General repeated his
wish The scene at the moment was a
picture III shadows. AS the calm, flicker
ing rays fell across the face of the General,
it became q grim Rembrandt, with the
strong, rugged lines broken down by suffer
ing and pain. On his head was still the
skull-cap, beneath which struggled the hair
that chung about the emaciated neck. The
gray Of the close-cut beard seemed white
the lines ON the check and forehead were
deep, and his eyes were clear and steady
showing that the Generals reason was
clearly at his command.
BEYOND MEDICAL SKILL.
AT clock Dr. Douglas was aroused to
send a summons for DR.. Sands. The Cen
eral moved restlessly and his eyes for a few
gazed intently away through the
trees; then he settled down in his chair and
dozed. The message to DR.. Sands was sent
only that the responsibility of the case al
the close of the night should be known by
members of the medical staff, and not with
the thought that any aid could be rendered
by any person at that time. The General
was given stimulants, but he grows weaker
hour by hour. The morning is clear and
the mercury at II O'Clock registered S09
All visitors are to-day kept from the cot
tagc. and Sabbath-day quiet prevails
about the spot. Dr. Douglas and DR.. New
man are with the family, and the day is
one of waiting The General sits as he did
last night-his eyes closed much of the
time, but coherent and clear whenever he
speaks. L. S. Grant Jr is expected this
and the family circle will then
be complete.
DECLINING WITH THE DECLINING DAY.
/ P. M.-Dr. Douglas has just left the
cottage. He says the General sits with his
head inclined forward and his eyes closed
the greater part of the time. His pulse is
very weak and huttering. The patient,
once during the morning. attempted to
write, but succeeded only in writing the
date, the effort being greater than was war
ranted by his little remaining strength
He had spoken at intervals, but his voice
IS very feeble. During the forenoon food
was taken and retained. With the declin-
ing day the physician believes the General
will also rapidly decline.
CHANGE FOR THE WORSE ANTICIPATED.
The physicians met in consultation at /
P. II. Having left the cottage it was stated
by Drs. Shrady and Sands that they had
found General Grant in the critical condi-
ton already stated by DR.. Douglas and
already announced. None of the staff
were willing to make any prediction beyond
,wenty-four hours, which period it is
deemed possible the General may survive.
though the possibilities as now indicated
are that much less space of time marks
the limits of the Generals life. A change
for the worse is anticipated as the dav
closes. The Generals pulse is now over
100.
AS THE AFTERNOON WORE AWAY.
MOUNT McGREGoR July 22d-The de
velopment of the Generals weakness dur
ng the afternoon was not particularly no.
-iceable from hour to hour, but between 3
and p. NJ. there was clearly, though not
marked. increased weakness. At
o'clock it was possible to measure the
pulse beats but at o'clock one of the ply
sicians stated that the pulse beats could not
DC counted, because they were so frequent
ard feeble. During the afternoon the Blood
Idle had so quickened that il more RAPIDLY
wore the system and exhausted the frail
oasis, if any existed, upon which might be
placed hope that the General might rally
The point was reached at six o'clock when
here was little to be expected from at
-empts to administer relief Soon after
, clock Harrison came up from the cottage
and told Doctors Sands and Shrady that
DR.. Douglas desired to see them at the cot
age Thither went the doctors, remaining
out a short time, and then coming again 10
he hotel. 1t is believed the condition of
he patient was found TO have been as
stated above, and that while the tempera-
ure was nearly, if not normal, the reSpira-
ions were nearly 30 per minute.
THE FAMILY AT DINNER.
The family began al clock to come to
he hotel to dinner in twOs, the Others re-
at the cottage in the meantime
The family dined in Il private room, set
apart for their use, at the hotel, in order, at
his critical time. that they might be
secluded from the curious observation of
The many visitors and guests, with whom
The Generals condition from hour to hour
bad been the topic of the day The closed
and silent cottage had all day suggested
mutely the enactment of the last scene in
General Grants earthly existence, and
upon the guests and visitors had settled Il
sense of the nearness of death, and seemed
4 hush upon the mountain and with all
those upon il. As the sun went down
cool breeze, like last night, sprang up, and
again the laymen on the mountain endeav
ored to persuade themselves and Others
that the cool night would bring renewed
strength to the patient and help him rally
through the night; but such was not the
opinion of doctors, who were prepared to
attend the Generals death-bed at a mo-
ment's notice, or wait through the hours
and into the night for the end More than
that, they were prepared to find the patient
alive in the morning.
HAsTY SUMMONS To THE COTTAGE.
At o'clock, however, as the three physi-
clans were at dinner, Harrison came to the
hotel aud called DR.. Douglas, who went at