The Rugby gazette and east Tennessee news. (Rugby, Morgan Co., Tenn.) 1884-188?, 1885-08-15
AT THE TOMB.

Beneath fir tree at the crown of the
knoll rested a small charcoal furnace, and
near it were the tools and materials with
which to seal the leaden lining of the
cedar case into which the casket and re-
mains of General Grant should be placed
Down the slope of the vault was a port
able furnace, such as is used by workmen
for heating bolts. In group near by were
five men, mechanics who should rivet fast
and cedar box should finally he preserved.
The steel case rested Upon two marble
blocks 10 feet high, 3 feet wide, and 10
inches thick. Similar marble blocks had
been sunk In the floor, flush with the sur
face, and upon those the remains of Mrs.
Grant are expected to repose.
Soon after one O'Clock drums beat, and
the blare of trumpets was. heard from the
lower end of the park. A carriage came
in view. 1t was General Hancock. He
was the only occupant, and stood erect.
Troopng behind him ON horseback were
the members Of his staff. The General rode
alighted he was iIaet by Shperintend-
ent Murray; COMM ssioner Ctimmitis, and
others of the Park Board General Ham
cocks staff and aids swept past. There
were among them General Fltzhugh Lee
and General Gordon, whom General Sheri.
dan once met so warmly In other times
and under other circumstances. Upon a
commanding slope one hundred yards
north of General Grants tomb the staff
officers and aids drew rein beneath cluinp
of spreading trees.
Meantime helmets were glistenihg, and
plumes were waving over the slope to the
southwark; the trappings upon many
horses shone In the stInlight; cannon and
1i,,,t dvo b1, har th ot v.,oro v;ddau
by artillerymen came over the'brow of the
southern slope; and Urderlies galloped to
and fro, and sabefs and accoutreinents
clattered and ratified. The; regulars. and
marines, with light Battery F, Of the Fifth
ARTILLERY, were coming down the drive.
They marched out upon the slope, where
Hancock's staff was halted; and then the
infantry and marines assumed positions of
''rest" in the shade. and out upon the slope
toward the, ,Claremont, Hotel, which was
covered with black drapery. .s's''
Mounted men with plumed helmets; ma
rines, with the uniform of the tars; the ".
s. Marine Corps, with bright, uniforms;
saddled horses, with riders dismounted,
but holding their bride rein; canon muz-
zles thrust from behind the lower bend of
the hillock pyramids of stacked guns, with
glittering bayonets interlocked; along the
drive solid walls of people upon the curb
Ing lines of uneasy and bcbbing umbrellas
through the trees a vista In which the
brown and rugged! rocks of the Palisades
pierced the woods and jutted above the
river; the Hudson, too, glinting and flow
ing In the sunlight; so looked the scene
northward from the tomb. -
The Twenty seco1d and Seventh Regi-
ments marched up from the east and down
by the tomb, and were drawn UP in line on
the, brow of the bluff overlooking tbefiter
The line reached beyond, view froGf The
tomb around the slope. The two regiments
stacked arms and were at rest. So neal
the ledge of the bluff were the regiments
I drawn up that the hundreds of men in
bright uniforms formed a line of silhouettes
against the sheen of the broad river in
which the afternoon sun was reflected
Suddenly gun doomed out over the wa.
ter, and a cloud of blue and white smoke
| pulled over the stream. y - 81 go
The Powhatan, lying down under the
bluff, had fired the first of a salute. The
hills were calling back. in echoes, and the
guns of the other war vessels lin the river
anon shook the bluff, and started the echoe.
| flying in the woods on the Jersey hills.
Three and O'CLOCK passed. The toni
yet waited. But there came a bugle- cal
from eastward at 4:O O'Clock, then strair
| from trumpets, and soon the sound Of
muffled drums. Carriages then came int
view, and rolled slowly through the parl
to the tomb. DR.. Newman and Bishoy
Harris occupied the first, and then thu
clergy, and then Drs. Douglas. Shrady ant
Sands.
The bearers came after these. Genera
Joe Johnston rode beside General Sherman
and Baskper and Sheridan were paired