The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-08-14
REMOVING THE BODY.
The Inst Solemn Service mt the City
HaIl-Ihc Tar Drawn Up.

The scene within the dark walls became
impressive as the night went on. The hollow
square of Grand Army men stood as still as
ever. Erect and perfect in bearing were two
officers of the Seventy one standing at
the collins head and the other at its foot.
Meanwhile the collins lid had been put tenn
porarily in place, and the undertakers had
come. The lid of the coffin was removed and
brushed; the gold plate with its inscription
was FURNISHED; the silver handles We're rub
bed with chamois skim and the lid was re-
stored Then the panels were placed again
over the glass; the silver screws were turned
and made tight, and at !:3O a. NJ, General
Grants face was closed from view forever.
The night wore on without any incident
of note, the morning came, and at $50
General Hancock and staff trooped slowly
into the plaza from Broadway and presented
front to the City Hall. At this time 12O
members of the Liederkranz society filed up
to the steps, and led by six instrumentalsts
sang with impressive effect CHORUS of the
Spirits from Over the Water" by Schubert,
and the CHORUS Of the Pilgrims" by Tam
hauser. The two selections were well rem
dered in German. At the conclusion of the
singing the chorsters looked through the
barred gates at the black catafalque and the
casket of royal purple. Soon after that the
original G. A. r. guard, which served 50
faithfully on Mount McGregor, filed in under
command of John II. johnson, senior vice
commander of Grant Post, q. A. r., Brook
Ign.
At $40 A. NJ, the guard Of honor marched
across the plaza in front of the city hall and
halted in front of the closed gates. 1t con-
sisted of two companies of the Fifth artillery
of forty men each, under command of Col
onel ". Il. Beck. That officer ascendcd the
steps, and as he turned, the file separated,
one company marching up the steps at the
east and another Mt the west, extending their
line in a double file from tine gates to the
plaza. At the right stood the David's Isl
and band Five minutes later the funeral
car was slowly drawn up before the steps,
led 10y its long line of horses, each
covered with a heavy black netting, and led
by a colored groom The scene from within
the City Hall gates at this moment was some
thing wonderful. Directly i'll front was the
immense funeral car, in most striking contrast
with the bright reflected sunlight of the
plaza. Directly back of this the large vacant
space was kept clear by the police, Beyond
this was great sea of human heads massed to
gether as far as the eye could see Above, IN
all the windows and on the tops of the build
ings were seen hundreds of heads stretched
far out to get a sight of the impressive scene
and with all this not n sound was heard. The
air was as still as if the place had been de
serted. Within the City Hall there was
perfect quiet. Upon the casket wa
only the wreath of oak leaves made by tn,
dead hero's grandchildren. Suddenly Cap
tain johnson, in command Of the pallbeareT,
from u. $. Grant Post, said in a whisper
"Attention !" Instantly the twelve mel
moved at a greater distance from each side o
the casket, and Mayor Grace appeared upoI
the scene. his was the signal Tor the open
ing of the gates, Following the mayor came
the ten clergymen, dressed in SUPPLIES The,
were as follows: Rev. Dr. Newman, Bishol
Harris, Methodist Episcopal: Assistant
Bishop Henry g. Potter Protestant Episco
pal; the Rev. Dr. Chambers, Reforme,
Dutch: the Rev. DR.. Field Presbyterian; tn
Rev Or. Bridgeman, Baptist; the Rev. DR.
West Congregationalist; the Rev Fathe
Deshon, Roman Catholic; the Rev. Rohcr
Collyer, Unitarian; Rabbi Browne, jewish
The Mayor was formally greeted by Co
onel Beck, who had been directed to re,eiv
the body on behalf of General Hancock Tn
clergymen then took up positions at the hea
of the Ca~kct and at II word from Capital
johnson the bearer, lifted the casket from II
resting place. The little procession the
moved down the steps, the cleTgymeu leading
AS the clergymen reached the foot OF I'll
steps leading to the catafalque they hatec
and separating, five on each side, bowed thei
heads rs tho casket was carried past them
During this time the only sound heard was
dirge played softly by land. Not a wor
was spoken as the car was started to Broat
way. Captain johnson reversed his postio
and stood Immediately at the rear of IL
funeral car, anl two files Of the L. S, Graz
Post fell int line Immediately afterwar,
AT n distance of ten feet each side of Il