River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-08-13

From noon day on for hours into the
afternoon the vicinity of the tomb and
Riverside park was the scene of discom-
fort for thousands waiting in the blaz-
ing sunshine. Beneath fir tree at the
crown of the knoll rested a small char
coal furnace, and near it were the tools
and materials with which to seal the
leaden lining of the cedar case into
which the casket and remains of Gen.
Grant should be placed The steel
ease rested upon two marble blocks p
feet high, 3 feet wide and Is inches
thick. Similar marble blocks had been
sunk in the floor flush with the surface,
and upon these the remains of Mrs.
Grant are expected TO repose. Many
persons were permitted to peer into
the tomb where the steel receptacle
was waiting for the body then being
borne up town. Soon after | o'clock
drums beat and the blowing of trum-
pets was heard from the lower end of
the park. A carriage came in view.
In it was Gen. Hancock. He was the
only occupant and stood erect. His
horse having given out he had been
obliged to take carriage.
Trooping behind him on horseback
were members of his staff The Gen
eral rode to point near the tomb,
where he alighted and was met by SUI
perintendent Murray. Commissioner
Crimmens and others of the park
board General Hancock, staff
and aides swept past. There were
among them Gen. Ttzhugh Lee and
Gen Gordon. whom Gen. Sheridan
! once met so warmly in other times and
other circumstances. Upon a COM
manding slope 100 yards north of Gen.
| Grants tomb, the staff officers and
aides drew rein beneath a clump of
spreading trees. Meantime hemlets
were glistening, plumes were waving
over the slope southwark, trapping
upon many houses shone in the sun
light, cannon and limbers drawn
by horses that were ridden
by artillerymen came over the
brow of the southern slope, orderlies
galloped to and fro and sabers and
accoutrements clattered and ratified.
Cannon muzzles thrust from behind the
lower bend of the hillock, pyramids of
| stacked guns with glistcning bayonets
interlocked along the drives, solid
walls of people upon the curbing, lines
| of uneasy and bobbing umbrellas
! through the trees, a vista in which the
| brown and rugged rocks of the pali-
sades pierced the woods and iutted
above the river, the Hudson, too,
glistening and flowing in the sunlight.
! So looked the scene northward from
/ the tomb.
The Twenty second and Seventh reg
iments marched up from the east and
down by the tomb and were drawn up
I in line on the brow of the bluff over
| looking the river. Suddenly gun
! doomed out over the water and a cloud
/ OF blue and white smoke pulled over
! the stream. The Powhattan. lying
down under the bluff had fired the first
of salute. Hills were calling back in
echoes and the guns of the other war
vessels in the river anon shook the
bluff and started the echoes flying
in the woods on the Jersey hills.
Three and four o'clock passed. The
tomb vet waited, but there came bu-
ole call from the eastward at APO
| O'Clock Then the sound of mutlled
drums. Carriages came into view and
rolled slowly through the park to the
tomb DIR. Newman and Bishop Har-
ris occupied the first. and then the
clergy and then Drs. Douglass, Shrady
and Sands. The bearers came after
these Gen. Joe johnson rode beside
Gen Sherman, and Buckner and Sher-
idan were paired. while Gen. Logan
and eX-Secretary Boutwell, followed.
Distinguished men came also besides
these The bearers and those invited
alighted and took places near the tomb.
Then David's Island band, playing
ChOpin's funeral march, came into
view, while behind the black-plumed
funeral car could be seen. The car
stopped abreast the tomb The guards
of honor assembled To bear down the
casket Col. Breck formed his two
companies of escort into hollow
square between the tomb and hearse.
| The family carriages had drawn near.
Their occupants alighted and took
positions rear the foot of the steps of
the car So they stood while the
casket was being remoued from the
car When it was borne into the hol-
low square toward the vault the
relatives followed. The cedar case
rested on supports at the foot Of the
sepulchre. The casket was deposited
therein. Meade Post No. !. of Phila-
delpha. represented by fifteen men,
circled the casket The commander
took post at the head, with officers and
post commanders at the foot. The
chaplain stood at the foot and the
colors were placed in front. The
ritual service was then performed
Post Commander Alexander Reed
said
Assembled to pay the last sad tribute of
| ata dar
triOus comrade, U. S. Grant, let us unite IN
prayer The chaplain will invoke the di-
vine blessing.
| THE PRAYER.
Post Chaplain c. Irvine Wright said;
God of battles! Father of ALL Amidst
| this mournful assemblage we seek thee,
with whom there is no death. Open every,
| every eve to behold him who changes the
night of death into morning. In the depths
of our hearts we would hear the Celestial
words 81 am the resurrection and the life;
he that believeth on me, though he were
dead, yet shall he live" AS comrade after
comrade departs, and we march on with
the ranks broken, help us to Toe faithful UNI
| to thee and TO eachOther We beseech thee
| look in mercy upon the widows and chill
dren of deceased comrades, and with thine
| own tenderness console and comfort those
bereaved by this event which calls us here
Give them 'the oil of Joy for mourning,
| the garment of praise for the spirit OF heaVl-
ness" Heavenly Father, bless and save
| our country with the freedom, peace aud
righteousness and truly great mercy, Saw
! ior's grace and thy Holy Spirits favor;
may we all meet at last before thy throne
! in heaven, and through thy great name
| shall be praise for ever and ever.
All comrades-A diTge band.
| Post Commander Alexander Reed.-One
! by one as the years Toll on, we are called
| together to fUlfl the last sad rites OF our
| comrades 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 many battle fields,
| we fought for the dear old flag We may
| indulge the hope that the spirit with which
on land and on sea hardship privation ana
dangers were encountered by our dead he
roes NAV never be botted out from the his
| tory or memories of the generations TO
come. spirit accomplishing, obedient
| to the behest of duty, whereby to-day our
! national honor is secure, and our loved ones
/ rest in peace under the dear old flag, may the
/ illustrfous life of him whom we lay ia the
tomb to-day, prove glorious incentive to
the youth, who in the ages TO come may be
called upon to uphold the destinies OF our
country. As the years roll on we TOO snali
/ have fought our battle through and be laid
| to rest our souls following the long column
| to the realms above as grim death hour by
hour shall make us its victims Let US so
/ live that when that time shall come those
we leave behind may say above our graves,
/ Here lies the body of a true hearted, brave
and earnest defender of the republic"
/ Senior Vice-Commander Lewis M.
Moore Naying a wreath of evergreens upon
/ the cOffinl-In behalf of the past give this