St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-07-30
Death of General Grant.
The Closing Hours OF His Life.

"
incurable disease, the greatest COM
mander of modern times passed peace
fully away last Thursday morning,
July %, at eight minutes past 8 O'Clock,
at the cottage on Mt. McGregor,
whittier he had gone five weeks. pre-
vious to obtain relief from the heat of
his home in New York city. His death
occurred just nine months from. the
day when he first sought the profess
sional aid of DIR. Douglas for the can
Ger which has accomplished what foes
and war could not.
Alarming evidences of weakness APP
peared Tuesday, and the patient ex-
pressed the belief that he could not
long hold out. There was slight and
temporary rally, but the general stead
lily lost ground until the end. All day
Wednesday he remained in the parlor
of the cottage, where he spent the
night. The most distressing symptom
of the day was the continuance of the
dreaded hiccoughing which began
Tuesday. Sometimes it ceased for ii
while, but never for more than an hour
at once. Its effect was to greatly
weaken the patient. Dnring most of
the time he did not seem to be in great
pain, but lay listlessly in the two
chairs that formed his couch. At 2
O'clock, as the three physicians were at
dinner, Harrison came to the hotel and
called DIR. Douglas, who went at once
to the cottage. Soon afterward
another messenger from the cottage
/ DIV a Il
they repaired to the cottage, closely
followed by DIR. Newman. Arrived
there they found the general again evil
restless. "Would you like to lie down,
The general nodded, and at the same
time essayed to rise unassisted. But
the effort was too great and he sank
back into the chair, and the colonel
and nurse aided him to arise and then
supported him to the bed. The fami-
ly were all gathered at the side of the
sick man, and DIR. Newman, at Mrs.
Grants request, knelt beside the gen
eral and prayed.
AT III o'clock the general was not
asleep, aud his mind was yet clear and
comprehensive of events aud utter
ances about him. Between 10 and II
o'clock Dr. Shrady had accOsted him
and he answered in husky veice and
promptly. The physicians believed
that the patient might reach the ex-
IRENE ebb of his strength at l o'clock
Thursday morning, and the approach
of the hOnr was anticipated with in
tense anxiety at the cottage. 1t pass
ed, however, and the general, lying
upon his back and propped by two
pillows, lay upon the cot bed in the
parlor. He was yet living, but grow
ing weaker. The body was being
worn out by it's own life current The
respirations had quickened to a point
of labOred breathing. The lungs and
the heart were giving away. SO weak
had General Grant grown at 3 O'Clock
that though he frequently attempted
To do so, he was unable longer to clear
the gathering mucous from his throat.
water, and after that it is not relnem-
bered that he uttered any word.
THE SCENE AT THE DEATH-BED.
A few minutes before O'Clock Drs.
Douglas, Shrady, and Sands stood on
the cottage veranda cOnversing on the
condition of General Grant, aud dis
cussing the probabilities of his death
and the limit of life left the sick man.
Mrs. SartOris and stenOgrapher Daw-
son were conversing ii little distance
away, when Henry, the nurse, stepped
hastily upon the piazza and spoke
quietly to the physicians. He told
them he thought the general was very
near to death. The medical men
hastily entered the room where the
sick man was lying and approached
his side. Instantly, upon scanning the
patients face, DIR. Douglas ordered the
family to be summoned to the bedside.
Haste was made and Mrs. Grant, Mr..
Jesse and wife, u. S. Grant, Jr., and
wife, and Mrs. Colonel Grant were
quickly beside the doctors at the sick
mans cot. Mrs. SartOris and Mrs.
Dawson had followed the doctors in
from the piazza and the entire family
were present except Colonel Fred !
Grant. Hasty summons were 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 rest |
ing upon the pillow above the head of
the general, who was breathing rapid !
ly and with slightly gasping respira
tiOns. Mrs. Grant, calm but with in
tense agitation, bravely suppressed, !
took II seat close by the bedside. She
leaned slightly upon the cot, resting /
upon her right elbow, and gazing with I
tear blinded eyes into the generals face.
She found there, however, no token of
for the sick man was
and painlessly passing into
another life. Mrs. SartOris came be-
hind her mother, aud leaning over her |
shoulder so witnessed the close of a
life i'll which she had constituted
strong element of pride. Directly be-
hind Mrs. Grant and Mrs. SartOris and
at little distance removed stood Drs.
Douglas, Shrady, and Sands, spectators
Of "a closing life their efforts had so
prolonged. On the opposite side of
the bed from his mother, and directly
before her, stood Jesse Grant and u. ).
Grant, Jr., and near the corner of the
cot, on the same side as Jesse, and
near to each, was Mr.. n. Z. Dawson,
the generals stenOgrapher and conf
Dental 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 removed from
the family circle Henry, the nurse, and
Harrison Tyrrel, the generals body
servant, were respectively watching
the closing life of the patient and their
master. DIR. Newman had repaired to
the hotel to breakfast and was not
present. The generals little grand
children, U. 5. Grant, Jr., and Nellie,
were asleep in the nursery room above
stairs. Otherwise the entire family
and household were gathered at the