The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1885-07-29
General u S. Grant
THE GREAT CHIEFT4IN
MUSTERED OUT.
4 Peaceful and Tuief Death.


people who throughout the breadth OF
the entire country sincerely mourn him.
For months the people have watched for
intelligence from the sick mans chamber,
hoping against hope for his recovery and
warmly sympathizing with him in his suf-
fering.
Silent, patient, heroic to the last, the
great captain faced the only foe that lie
was unable to resist, and without a muir
muir or complaint, but with the last feeble
beatings OF his heart impelled by kindest
feeling for all his fellow men, the grand
old patriot sank to rest in the midst OF his
own loved ones, and with the incense of
popular affection filling all the atmosphere
about his couch of death.
If 1t is a mitigation OF the pangs of dis
ease and death to have the illustrations of
loved ones General Grant, who was always
devotedy:attached to his family, was fortu-
nate. His wife, daughter and sons have
been his constant attendants. They have
made no ostentatious show OF their regard
for the suffering and dying father, but new
er did husband and parent receive more
faithful and loving attention from wife and
children than has General Grant.
general Grant died at Mount McGregor,
at :0s q. m., Thursday last, passing away
without symptoms of pain. The night be-
fore his physicians said that he might live
until morning but could hold out but little
longer. They expected he would reach the
extreme ebb of his strength at l O'Clock,
but 3hat hour was passed and o'clock
with multiplying evidences of rapid weak
ening. Respirations were not alone more
rapid, but more shallow. The lungs and
heart were giving way. So weak had Gen.
Grant grown at B O'Clock that, though he
made frequent attempts, he was unable to
clear the gathering mucous from his throat
1t accumulated and remained, and as
o'clock drew on and daylight came point
had been reached when expectoration was
impossible; and from e'clo OK on there
was in the Generals throat the significant
rattle of mucous that was filling the lungs
and clogging the throat.
At 3 O'Clock the General asked for water
and after that 1t is not remembered that he
uttered any word. At 4 O'Clock his breath.
Ing Quickened and reached fifty respira-
tions 10 the minute. An hour later his res.
pirations had reached 60, and between s
and o'clock his finger nails had become
blue, and his hands gave further evidence
of the progress Of numbness at his ex.
tremities.
At 6 O'Clock this morning all was still
about the hotel and cottage, but on the We
randa of the latter were seated the ladies
OF the family with Drs. Douglass and
Shrady. DR.. Newman paced up and down
the paths before and about the cottage, his
manner of restlessness betokening the
anxiety he felt. The sun had already risen
warm and the day seemed one of peace
with few light bars of cloud lying level
and warm tinted aloft. Down At the mouu-
tain depot an engine made the only noise
on the still air with the steam that had
been wasting all night while the engineer
sat in his cab waiting to go to Saratoga
for Undertaken Holmes who should care
for the Immediate details In connection
with the Generals remains. The watch
ers Of the press who have been among the
trees near the cottage during the two
nights past withdrew to respectful dis
tances as the broad daylight revealed their
presence and suggested to the family on
the cottage veranda the significant errand
that prompted their vigilance.
few minutes before s o'clock Drs.
Douglass, Shrady and Sands stood on the
cottage veranda conversing concerning the
condition of Gen. Grant, and discussing the
probabilities of his death and the limit of
life to the sick man. Mrs. Satoris and
Stenographer Dawson were conversing q
little distance away, when Henry, the nurse
stepped hastily upon the piazza and spoke
quietly to the physicians. He told them
that he tn ,ught the General was very near
death. The doctors hastily entered the
room where the sick man was lying, and
approached bis side. Instantly, upon scan
ming the patients face, DR.. Douglass or.
dered the family to be summoned to the
bedside. Haste was made, and Mrs. Grant,
Mr.. Jesse Grant and wife, U. s. Grant, Jr.,
his wife, and Mrs. Colonel Grant were
quickly beside the doctors at the sick mans
cot. Mrs. Satoris and Mr.. Dawson follow
ed the doctors from the piazza, aud the en-
tire family were present except Colonel
Fred Grant A hasty summons was sent
for him, but he entered the sick room while
the messenger was searching for him. The
Colonel seated himself at the head of the
bed with his left arm resting on the pillow
above the head of the General, who was
breathing rapidly aud with slightly gasp
ing respirations. Mrs. Grant was calm,
and her intense agitation was bravely sup
pressed. She took her seat close by the
bedside, leaning sligbly upon the cot, and
gazed with nearly blinded eyes into the
Generals face. She found there, however,
no token Of recognition, for the sick man
was peacefully and painlessly passing to
another life. Mrs. Sat0ris came behind
her mother, and leaning over her shoulder.
Directly behind Mrs. Grant and Mrs. Sa-
turis, and at little distance removed,
stood Drs. Douglass, Shrady and Sands,
spectators of the closing scenes which
their efforts and counsel had deferred.
On the opposite side from his mother and
directly before her stood Jesse Grant and
U. s. Grant, Jr., and near the corner O. the
cot on the same side as Jesse and near to
each was Mr.. N Z. Dawson, the Gene rails
stenographer and confidential secretary.
At the foot of the bed, and gazing directly
down into the Generals face, was Mrs.
Colonel Grant, Mrs. U. S. Grant Jr., and
Mrs. Jesse Grant, while somewhat remov-
ed from the family circle, Henry, the
nurse, and Harrison Tyrrell, the Generals
body servant, were watching the death of
their master. DR.. Newman had repaired
t. breakfast and was not present. The
Generals little grandchildren, u s. Grant
Jr., and Nellie, were asleep In the nursery
room above stairs. Otherwise the entire
family and household were gathered at the
bedside Of the dying Tan. Respiration
was very rapid, and there was succession
of shallow painting inhalations and the res
pirations grew quicker and more rapid at
the close. They also became less labored
and almost noiseless. This fact was in its
results comfort to the watchers by the
bedside. The wife almost constantly
stroked the face, forehead and hands Of the
dying general, and at times as passionate
longing to prevent the event SO near would
rise within her, Mrs. Grant pressed both
hands, and leaning forward tenderly kissed
the face of her husband.
The morning had passed five minutes be-
yond 8, and there was not one OF the strain
ed and waiting watchers, but who could
mark the nearness of the life tide to its
final ebbng. DR.. Douglas noted the near
ness Of the supreme moment, aud quietly