The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-08-15
BURIAL OF GENERAL GRANT.
A Great M1sta,.y and oapic Display
Fifty Thousand Men in Line.
rFrom the Baltimore Sun.

Fifty Thousand Men in Line.
From the Baltimore Sun.
New YORK, Aug. S.-Two weeks and two
days ago Gen. Grant died, and to day his
body was buried with honors that have never
been paid to any other American citizen.
The day was perfect, no rain as was predIc-
ted, and only an occasional cloud that OBJ
scured the rays of the sun. Yet twas nots
hot as had been feared A delightful breeze
tempered the heat and made an early August
day as pleasant as October The great city
was filed as never before in its history, yet
order prevailed.
The vast procession that accompanied the
remains of the illustrious dead to their last
resting place moved in admirable form.
Scarcely an incident occurred TO mar the
splendor of the occasion. The day will live
forever in the memory of every person who
took part in its solemn ceremonies, or was
fortunate enough to view the magnificent
spectacle Yet above all the pomp and cir
cumstauee of this, the grandest of funeral
pageants, stands forth conspicuously, as the
chief glory of the day, the union of North
and South around the grave of Gen. Grant.
The procession moved on time, and with
only here and there a deviation from the
official programme marked out in advance.
1t is difficult by any recital of details OF order
of march to give an adequate idea OF the
spectacle. The procession moved through
the principal street and avenue OF the city,
and the line of March extended nearly the
entire length of Manhattan Island. The pro-
cession was the longest and largest that ever
moved through our streets.
Probably on no other occasion in the his
tory of the country have so many illustrious
men and great officials been gathered to-
gether There have been more imposing
military displays, as, for instance, the final
review of the troops at Washington after the
war, and there have been more Interesting
civic parades, as, for instance, the political
demonstration in this city last fall, but never
has there been in this country such combi-
nation of military and civilians, such an out
pouring of the people as to-day.
There was magnificent spirit displayed.
There was a tremendous crowd, and the spec
tators seemed to realize that they were wit.
Messing not mere parade, but funeral
procession. When the catafalque bearing the
body of the dead passed scarcelya man IN the
vast crowd forgot to remove his hat i'll respect
to the deceased. There was much excusable
curiosity to see the great men who took part
in the procession-General Hancock, looking
so manly and sodiery in his handsome uni
form as he rode at the head of the procession;
President Cleveland, who was forced to ride
in an open carriage drawn by six black
horses; Generals Sherman and Sheridan, ex-
Presidents Arthur and Hayes, all being
eagerly looked for and gazed at by the crowd,
vet no one made the mistake of cheering the
living in the presence of the dead.
The procession moved to the sound of sol
emn music between mile after mile of almost
silent spectators. After the military had
passed and the crowd became aware that the
funeral car was approaching, there was first
the noise of thousands making ready to obtain
the best view possible of the coffin of the dead
hero, and then breathless silence fell upon
the multitude as the funeral car rolled on,
bearing its sad burden to the tomb.
At points along the line of march this
feature of the day was very impressive.
Words fail to describe adequately the specta-
Gle. Imagine if you can crowd extending
fifteen miles and procession five miles long.
About $4,000 men were in line, and there
were fully million spectators.
At twenty minutes to 10 a. m. Gen. Han
cock and staff appeared at Broadway and
Fourteenth street 1t was past p. m. when
the last of the procession passed that spot.
Allowing for wait of half an hour to allow
the carriages to get into line, it took four
hours and a-half for the procession to move.
The men moved rapidly, but not in un-
seemly haste. The distance was long and
had to be covered in reasonable time. The
head of the column reached the Riverside
Park at noon, but it was five o'clock before
the brief final funeral rites began. This gives
some idea of the magnitude of the pageant.
From the window of building on Fifth
avenue the scene was one Of SURPRISING splen-
dor. AS far as the eye could reach the long
line of procession could be seen. Regiments
in uniforms of varied hue, moving in stately
step, with arms inverted, to the sound of sa-
cred music and funeral marches; mounted
officers in glittering uniforms, carrying blades
that flashed like fire in the sun; flags furled,
but carried aloft, wrapped in Grape; the fun
eral car, with only drapery of two flags to
relieve its expanse of black; the carriages
containing the family of the deceased and the
representatives of mourning nation; the
veterans of the war, with empty sleeves and
hating steps, whose gray boards and hair
were suggestive of the flight of years, and in
dicated how soon the survivors of that civil
strife will follow their dead leader to the
grave; in the distance the delegations from
the political and commercial associations fol-
lowing the military in the march to the tomb;
then, in addition to all this, the sidewalks
crowded with men and women, some holding
their children on their backs that the little
ones might witness the spectacle; the win
dows and balconies everywhere filled with
spectators, the buildings draped with the en-
blems of mourning in every device that art
and sentiment could invent-all this made up
a scene of beauty the memory of which will
not soon fade away.
Some of the militia were Frustrated by the
weary march, and had to be carried in the
ambulances that at intervals made part of the
procession, and one officer was so unfortunate
as to fall from his horse and break his leg ];
but with these and other trifling exceptions,
there was little to spoil the perfect order OF
the day.
The distinguished men who rode in car
riages to the grave rendeZvoused at the Fifth
Avenue Hotel, at Twenty third street, at
which point they fell into line. There were
about 800 carriages in line, containing the
President, the Vice President, members of
the cabinet, Senators, Representatives, Gov
errors of nineteen States and Territories and
their stats, two Presidents, and other
prominent men without number.
The arrangement of the carriages was add
mirabe. AS far as possible Northerner
rode in the same carriage with a Southerner,
and Democrat with Republican. Suggest.
Ing GudJ eFdulCdIeS all pOllGlCdl anu SEE
tional differences. General Sherman rode
with General johnson; General Sheridan
with General Buckner; John d, Long, of
Massachusetts, with Randolph Tucker, of
Virginia Speaker Carlisle and eX-Speaker
Randall with Representatives Hiscock and
Reed; Senator Evarts, Of New York, with
Senator Brown, of Georgia; Senator Man
derson, of Nebraska, with Senator Hampton,
of South Carolina; Representative Butter
worth, Of Ohio, with Gen. King, of Louisiana;
Senator Morrill,, of Vermont, with Senator
Coekrel, of Missouri Senator Blair, of New
Hampshire, and Senator Eustis, of Louisiana,
and so on through the rest of the list.
President Cleveland and Secretary Bayard,
the latter in tall white hat, occupied the
same carriage. Wee President Hendricks
had his private secretary for a companion.
The good order, the splendid system in which
the procession marched is due almost entirely
to the admirable executive ability of General
Hancock.
GOrdan ot Grants Funeral