The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-08-05
GRANT IN HIS COFFIN.
How the Dead Generals Body ~
Dressed

How the Dead Generals Body -
Dressed
Mr. McGREGoR July 26.-At 5:15
this afternoon train of three cars,
pulled by one engine and pushed by
another, hauled into and stopped at
the depot. From the rear allighted
thirty-eight men of Battery A, Fifth
Artillery. They had been sent by
General Hancock from Governors
Island to form part of the guard
about the cottage, and the officer in
command was Brevet Colonel w.
B. Beck. The men were at once
marched to the camping ground
near the eastern lookout.
The car next the engine was the
car, in which the re-
mains of General Grant will be
borne 20 Saratoga. From this car
stepped Undertaken Merritt, his son
and a representative Of the firm that
made the casket in which General
Grant is to be inferred. The cas-
ket was then removed from the car
and placed on light lumber wagon
and taken to the south steps of the
cottage. The casket, in its heavy
oaken shipping-box, was carried up
the steps and into the rear parlor OF
the cottage, which is divided by
heavy curtins from the room In
which the dead General lies. The
heavy nickel-bound box was open
ed and the casket removed and
borne to the next room, where il
was placed beside the remains. I'm
dertakers Harrigan of Albany I; Sui
livan of New York, and c. K. Ben
nison, of Boston, the two latter be-
ing the embalmers, then attended to
the practical details of transferring
the remains to the final receptacle.
The New York undertakers, Harri.
son the Generals servant,and Henry
the nurse, were present. II was
found that the hardening process
that results from embalming had be.
gun, and the embalmers expressed
the belief established by precedent
that the body would remain in its
present condition without change
for at least six months. Harrison
was permitted to aid in the final
preparation of the body as far as
possible. A suit of black broad.
cloth was placed upon the remains,
the coat being Prince Albert. A
white linen standing collar circles
the neck, and black silk scarf is
tied in plain bow at the throat.
Harrison also adjusted a pair of low
cut patent-leather slippers on the
dead Generals feet when they had
been incased in white stockings.
Gold studs are fixed in the shirt
front, and plain gold buttons in the
cuffs. When the remains had been
finally attired and placed within the
casket the double breasted coat was
buttoned closely from top to bottom.
The right hand was laid across the
breast, and the left hand was dis
posed in an easy position by the
side.
Colonel Fred Grant at this point
entered the apartment. He APP
preached the casket where it rested
beneath the black draped canopy,
and, leaning above it some mo-
ments, studied the face of his father
in silence. Then, taking in his own
the right hand of the General, Col.
onel Grant placed upon the third
finger a plain gold ring,and then re-
placed upon the breast the still thin
hand. Before turning away the
Colonel drew forth q small packet
of mementoes and placed them in
the breast-pocket of the coat. Hav-
ing performed these last direct per-
sonal offices Colonel Grant retired
and those in charge dropped the
heavy plate-glass top of the casket
in place, and the casket was sealed
by the turning down of sixty screws
that press the glass down into its
fitting, which thus renders the cas-.
ket air-tight. And so this evening
the Generals remains lie covered
with an American flag. An incan,
descent lamp sheds mellow light
about the heavy canopy, and the
flag covered casket beneath is in
shadow and rest until the day of re
moval. In the roomand beside it the
men of u. S. Grant Post are or
watch; the members of Wheeler
Post have their vigil upon the YER
anda, and outside are the regulars
who tirelessly tramp the beaten
paths over the pine-needles under
the trees about the cottage.
A detachment of a light battery
numbering twenty-four men from
Fort Adams. Newport, r. l., with
four field-guns, limbers and ammu-
milton, arrived on Saturday. To
this company will fall the duty o
firing salutes on Monday and Tues
day, and no more regulars besides
them will be sent here.