The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-08-05
THE LAST SCENE.
How General Grant Passed Away
at Mount McGregOr.
Sinking Quietly to Rest in the
Presence Of his Family.

| l. lOSOllOO VI A4S VA&&&,Js
The story of the impressive scene ut Gen
eral Grants death-bed is vividy told in the
following dispatch from Mount McGregor:
A few minutes before 8 o'clock this
morning Drs Douglas, Shrady, and Sands
stood on the cottage veranda converslng OF
the condition Of General Grant, and discussing
the probabilities of his death and the limit OF
life left the sick man. Mrs. Sartoris and the
stenographer, Mr.. Dawson, were conversing
little distance away, when Henry, the nurse,
stepped hastily upon tho piazza and spoke
quietly to tho physicians. He told them he
thought the general was very near to death.
Tho medical men hastily entered the room
where the sick man was lying and approached
his side. Instantly upon scanning the pa
TENTS face Dr.. Douglas ordered the family
to be summoned to The bedside. Mrs Grant,
Mr.. Jesse Grant and wife, U. S. Grant. Jr.,
and wife, and Colonel Grants wife were
quickly beside the doctors at the sick mans
! cot. Mrs Sartoris and Mr.. Dawson had fol-
lowed the doctors in from tho piazza, and the
entire family was present, except Colonel
| Fred Grant A hasty summons was sent for
him, but ho entered the sick-room while
the messenger was searching for him:
The colonel seated himself at tho hcad OF the
bed, with his left arm resting upon the pillow
above the head of the general, who was breath.
ing rapidly and with slightly gaspng respira!-
tions. Mrs Grant, calm but with intense agi'
tation brayely suppressed, took a seat ctoSo
by the bedside. She leaned slightly upon the
cot, resting upon her right elbow, and gazing
with tear blinded eyes into tho generals face
She found there, however, no token OF recoS-
milton. Mrs. Sartoris came behind her
mother, and leaning over her shoulders SO
witnessed the close Of her fathers life. Di-
rectly behind Mrs. Grant and Mrs. Sartoris,
and at little distance removed stood Drs
| Douglas, Shrady and Sands. On the oppo-
site Side Of the he'd from his mother and tdi-
rectly before her stood Jesse Grant and U. s.
Grant, Jr., and near the corner OF the cot on
tho same side as Jesse and near to each was
Mr.. N. E. Dawson, the Generals stenogra-
| pher and confidential secretary. Atthe foot of
| the bed and gazing directly down into the gen.
erals face were Mrs. Fred Grant, Mrs. U. S.
Grant, Jr., Mrs. Jesse Grant, while somewhat
removed from the family, Henry, the nurse, and
Harrison TyrreI. the generals body servant.
were watching the closing life of patient and
master. DR.. Newman had repaired to tho
hotel to breakfast and was not present. The
generals little grand children. U. s. Grant,
Jr., and Nollie, were sleeping in the nursery
room. Otherwise the entire family house
hold was gathered around the bedside Of tn,
dying man.
moned not moment too soon. The doctors
noted on entering the room and pressing to
the bedside that already the purplish tlnge
which is one Of the signals OF final dlssoiu-
tion had settled beneath the finger nails. The
hand that DR.. Douglas lifted was fast grow
ing cold. The pulse had Nuttered bcyond the
point where the physical could distinguish
1t from thePulsc beats in his own finger tips.
Respiration was very rapid, and was sue.
cesson Of shallow painting lnlnatlon; but
happiy rs the end approached the patieut
was becoming relieved Of the rnttlng
fullness of throat and lungs; as the respira-
tion grew more rapid at the close. it also be-
came less labored and almost nolsaless Ihls
fact was in its results comfort to the watch
ers to whom was spared the scene or otner
than peaceful death. Mrs Grant almost
constantly stroked tho face, forehead, and
hards of the dying general: and at times
pressed both his hands, and lea1.lnS forward
tenderly kissod the face Of the sinking man.
Colonel Fred Grant sat silently, but with evil
dent feeling, though his bearing was that OF a
soldierly son at the death-bed of hero.father.
u. s. Grant, Jr, was deeply moved. Jesse
boro the scene steadily and the ladies while
watching with wet checks were silent
Tho morning had passed five minutes be-
yond o'clock. DR.. Douglas noted the near
ness of the supreme moment, and quietly mp
proachcd the bedside, and bent above 1t. The
eray-hairol physicians grief seemed closely
allied with that OF the family. DR.. Shrady
also drew near It was seven minutes past
o'clock, and the eyes of the general we're
closing. His breathing grew more hushed
A peaceful expression seemed to be deepening
in the firm and strong-lined face.
A minute more passed as the general drew
nv n 0lOfi q
that of one relieved of long and anxious ten
sion. The members Of the group were i'm
pellcd step nearer the bed, and each waited
to note tho next respiration: hut it never
CAME. No sound broke the silence save the
singing of birds in the pines outside the cot
tare, and tho measured throbbing Of the
engine that all night had waited by the little
mountain depot down the slope. 1T IS all
over" quietly spoke Dr.. Douglas, and there
came then heavily to each the realization
that G eneral Grant was dead.
Then the doctors withdrew, the nurse
closed down the cyelids and composed the
dead generals head, after which each Of the
family group pressed to the bedside one after
tho other and touched their lips upon the
quiet fnce.
DR.. Shrady passed out upon the piazza and
as he did so met DR.. Newman fastening up
the steps. He is dead" remarked DR..
Shrady, quietly. the fact Of having been ah-
sent from tho side OF the dying man ami his
family Mt the last was q cause OF severe re-
cret to tho clergyman who had "hlted al
nipht at the cottage He had been summoned
a moment too late
If is not known that General Grant uttered
n word after asking for glass or water az
o'clock.
DR.. Shrady this morning under the head
line cat Last, s,nt to the Medical Record.
tho following official Dulletln Oh Uenelal
Grants dying hours: A.
"Sincc our last bulletin was written the
final change has come to General Grant He
passed peacefully away at o'clock Thursday
morning On the morning Of the day prevl.
ou, Dr. Douglas summoned Drs. Sands ami
Shrady to meet him in consultation at Mount
McGregor, rs General Grant was SINK
ing, and death seemed Imminent. on
their arrival the patient was found in very
prostratel condition, with feeble anu i,t,. IRE,
ouent pulse, rapid respiration, and inaolilty
to swallow. He was suffering no pain, out
by his listless manner was apparently con,
scious that denth was near. 1t was declaeo
to sustain his vital powers to the utmost, ana
make his approaching end rs comfortable as
possible. The disposition to cough had
ceased, and the respiration, although much
accelerated. was not mechanically lmpeded
by accumulated mucus secretlons. At tne
time Of the consultation he was in his easy
chair occupied so constantly by him day and
nioht for the past five months Toward
evening, BY his own request, he was trans
ferred to his bed. where he rested quietly
until his death. As was anticipated by the
medical gentlemen in attendance. he con-
tinued to sink, despite the stimulants locally
applied and hypodermicnlly administered.
Hi his fsP f oP PHnfn 5 aRa
allied. He simply passed away by gradual
and easy cessation Of the hearts action. mus
he was spared much OF the suffering whlcn
would have been inevitable had his general
strength allowed the throat disease to pro.
greSs in its usual why. For so much, al
least, there is reason for thankfulness
"Ata future time scientific review OF the
case will be presented to our readers, giving
such data as may be necessary to explain tne
diagnosis arrived Mt and the methods OF
treatment pursued
Soon after Drs. Douglas and Shrady left
the deathbrd they convcr~nd feolin2ly of tha
last hours of General Grants life. Tho pulse
first had indicated failure and the intellect
was last to sr,ccumb It, clcarneis and con-
scious tenacity were shown after midnight
last night through nh incident Mt ) o'clock;
'po yon want anything, father" questioned
Colonel Fred ut that hour. "Wnter, whiS-
rered tho general, huskily but when offered
NdlcF Hlu nllIk lIey "'Tc ctCU3i li"U "ii'
word of response was the last utteranco ol
General Grant
DR.. Douglass rcn,arkc that tho pec,l'inrity
of General Grants death was explained in
tho remarkable vitality that seemed to pre-
sent an obstacle to the approach Of death. 1t
wns gradual passing AWAY Of the. vital
forces. and reflex consciousness. the doctor
thought, was retained to tho last. The
general died of sheer exhaustion aud per
fectlr painless sinking away. "Ics." inter
jocted DR.. Shraly, "tlr general dreaded pain
when he felt he had begun sinking. and he
asked that he should not be permitted 70 suf-
fer. The promise was made, and it has been
kept Since lie commenced to sink Tuesday
night lie has been FREQ of pain"
Toward the last no food was taken, but
when wet cloth was pressed to his lips ne
would suck from it tho water to moisten his
mouth. During the generals last night DIR.
Shrady was constantly within call. DIR.
Douglas WINS all night Mt tho cottage. DR..
Sands sept ut the io' el after midnight.
Within twenty minute, after the death of
General Grant. Karl G"rharlt. Hartford
sculptor. who has been making n study here
Of the general. was summoned to the cottage
Mt the suggestion of Dr. Newman 10 make n
plaster mask of the Ilnnl mans fncc. lIo was