Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-07-25
The DEAD SOLDIER.
Gen, Grants Remains to be
Taken from the Mountain
on Tuesday Next,
Central Park, New York City,
Decided as the Final
Resting Place.
Gen Hancock to Have Charge
Of the Military Arrange
ments of the Funeral.
Mr.. MCGREGoR, july "a.

Mr. MCGREGoR, July "a.
As soon a. the news of Gen. Grants death
was spread through Saratoga, the Grand
Army of the Republic men belonging to Post
Wheeler. despatched six men of their organ
ization under an officer, " ith tent equipments,
and a guard was forthwith established. Two
sentries were posted in front of the cottage
and one in the hatchway connecting with the
Balmoral Hotel, and strict orders were given
them to prevent interruption, considering the
curious who were already lowering about the
cottage, endeavoring to enter.
The body of the dead hero has been con-
signed bv stephen Merritt, the undertaken in
charge, to +. a. sullivan, the embalmer " ho
commenced operations Thursday afternoon
The process brought back to the General
face that trmness nf outline which had been
taken away in the nature of the malady. and
he looks in his caskst AS he used to look hen
he rode to victory. The body is in tempo
rary ca,ket. The eyes are closed as if in
tranquil sleep, the brow is placid, the lower
lip perhaps more blanched than in life but
the embamer promises that the color will
covers the casket, which has been placed in
the front psrlor of the cottage On the walls.
in close proximity 10 the casket, are the two
famous companion portraits of Lincoln and
Grant
DIR Newman, Gen Grants chaplain, said
this forenoon. that the accounts published by
the press, of Gen. Grants last scene on earth
were perfectly true. "Gen Grant was
Conscious to the Last.
do not think there was ever moment when
his mind WAS not cognlzant of those who
were present of his own condition. and of
much that was passing; but he was COM
pletelv Exhausted. | entered the room inst
as he breathed his last sigh, for could
hardly call it breath. | led poor Mrs.
Grant to a sofa. The truth is he had been
diving ali the morning
The aldermen of New York met Friday and
passed appropriate resolutions and also eX-
tended sympathy to the family of the deceased
General. and authorized the proper author-
ties to offer a sepulchre Tor the body of Gen.
Grant, in any of the public parks in the city.
The city hall will be draped and placed at
the disposal of the family of the deceased be-
fore dsposing of the remains, il desired.
There is now little doubt but that Gen.
Grants remains will be buried in Central
Park, New York City. All that remains is
the assent of the authorities of that city, to
the dead Generals own condition, which was,
that Mrs. Grant should rest beside at him at
last.
Ielegraphic correspondence is now being
conducted to adjust this matter. Mayor
Grace responds to inquiries that the city ten
ders the family burial spot. This vague
me ssage does not seem to consider the con-
dition of Mrs. Grants burial and the family
and Col Grant are left in doubt as to the
Willingness of New York City to acceje
the easily understood condition that
Mrs Grants seputure must take place in
Central Park if the General is buried there,
and so at the moment of this writing, the
matter hangs and delay is the result.
The family and Col. Grant have determin-
ed on Central Park. if the condition shall be
complied with by the committee.
If New York shall be the spot chosen, and
there is now little doubt but that it will be,
the
Program OF the Funeral Arrangements
will be as here given: The remains will be
at the cottage, in the room where the General
died. until Tuesday afternoon next, when the
funeral ceremony will be performed. They
will then be placed upon special train and
conveyed directly. without demonstration, TO
Albany. reaching there in the evening.
The remains will be borne to the capitol
building, where they will be until Wednes-
day noon. Then and thence the dead Cen
eral will be conveyed by funeral train to
New York, arriving there Wednesday even
ing. The body will then be conveyed to City
Hall, where it will remain in state until Sat-
urday, when it will be borne to its last rest
ing place in Central Park. This program
has been prepared upon the assumption that
the condition touching the interment of Mrs.
Grant will be complied with.
One condition imposed BY Gen. Grant,
before he died, upon those who should de-
eide the place for his buriul is the cause of
the delay in fixing the spot for his interment.
Mayor Grace's chief clerk, Mr.. Turner. is
here and has been in consultation with Col.
Grant. He urged the acceptance of a burial
spot in any one of the parks of New York
City. There is a strong feeling in the fam
ily of Gen. Grant, that the New York prop
ositiou is one that would have gratiied the
General, but the condition that Mrs. Grant
should be buried beside the General is one
that the Mayors representative is not author
lied to acced to and telegraph communica-
ton is now going on between here and New
York on that point
The Presidents messenger had not arrived
at | / o'clock. When he does come and pre-
sents the invitations from the Soldiers
Home 1t is not unlikely that the condition of
Gen. Grant relative TO Mrs. Grant being
buried beside him will also cause some delay.
Pending the conference with the others, the
invitation from the city of Springfield, H.,
is not being seriously considered as yet, al
though before his death Gen. Grant mentioned
Illinois as one of the three states in which
he would decide to be buried. He indicated
that Illinois having given him the first army
commission, he would be willing to be buried
there. but there we're two other spots which
he designated, and one of them, Washington,
is now under consideration. The third point