The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-08-07
The Silent March
to the Grave!
The Final Act in a He.
roic Life Approach
ing the Finale!
Facts and Notes Concern.
ing the Funeral of Our
Dead Soldier!

McGregor's heights, that solaced the last
days of General Grants life, and to
whence he had fled that the master spir-
it that had partook of the most turbulent
and exciting scenes in great nations
career, might depart in peace" was
even more serene and unbroken on
Tuesday last III the casket containing the
precious remains were placed upon the
train awaiting to convey the funeral
procession down into the bustling world
where thousands of saddened hearts
were waiting the opportunity to honor
the last earthly vestige of America, =
most manly man, and faithful soldier.
| The family to whom he WAS as truly
loyal and devoted as the ties of consan-
guinity can warrant, surrendered his
body to the nation, after the private SER
vices at the mountain, where DIR. New
man delivered u sermon Of over an hours
length in which the man, his life, his
worth, and the nations loss were lead
ing topics. HIS text was Matt. XIV, "a:
| "weli done, thou good and faithful servant,
Il
At one o'clock IN the afternoon the
casket was placed aboard the tram which
left for Saratoga after all the passengers
were comfortably seated. Members of
General Grant Post, q. A. r., acted AZ
pail bearers, and among those repre-
senting the military were the following:
Gen. W. :. Hancock, Gen. William T..
Sherman, Gen. Rufus Ingalls,, Gen. IL.
A. Pevey, Col. Switzerland, Col. John
p. Nicholson, Lieut.. Col. Finley Ander-
son, Capt. q. $. l.. Ward, Capt. John ii.
Weeks and Lieut.. Eugene Griffin. The
guard of honor, L. $. Grant Post, Brook
lyn, consisted of Col. William ii. Barker.
Maj. Il. Corwin, DIR. George w. Brus,
Reese b. Gwillin, j. p. Hewalt, Com
mander John II. johnson, Henry w.
Wright, X. +. Mackellai, Mr.. Mcdonald,
a. NJ. j. Mckelvey, George j. Collins,
Noah Tibbetts and George b. Squires,
six men of the Legion of Honor.
Dense crowds had assembled to see
the departure of the train and all along
the line To Saratoga every advantageous
spot was occupied by spectators anxious
for Il glance at the mournful procession.
At the latter place the casket and at
PENDANTS were transferred to the train
which was To convey them to ALBANY,
where they arrived at $3.50 p. m. The
train was most successfully draped. No
woodwork, except the sashes of the win
dows, was visible. The engine tender
was draped in plated black. radiating
from Il rosette center. The sides Of the
cab were covered in like manner. Black
cloth was draped from the boiler rails,
and the front was fixed with taste. The
funeral car "Woodlawn" was plated IN
the panels and center, and the national
flag was festooned gracefully, but 80
there was no tiuttering. The other cars
were not so deliberately finished, but all
were draped with good taste. Twenty
seven hundred yards of cloth were used.
At 800 o'clock p. IN. the state building
at Albany where the distinguished dead
lay i'm state was thrown open TO the pub
lie and thousands of people between
that hour and 1880 on Wednesday view
eel the remains.
II is estimated that 10000 people view
ed the remains while they lay in state at
Albany and on "Wednesday when the
hour arrived for the departure there
were thousands still who had not viewed
the dead. The relatives and other inn
mediate friends who accompanied the
remains were entertained by the Gov
ernor while in Albany. Mayor Grace,
Of New York, and committee Of one
| hundred citizens from the same city
were at the capital to act as an escort to
the metropolis. The casket was drawn
TO the depot by six black horses, and
immense crowds Of people gathered all
along the railroad track to see the
mournful train vending its way to the
grave of the beloved general. As they
approached West Point the bosm Of
cannon was heard to echo among the
mountains, and all knew it was the trib-
ute of his military alma mater. The
students were drawn up alongside the
track and all the officers of the institu-
ton were gathered there and the post
band were playing the beautiful and APP
proprlate air,
Sweet Spirit, Hear My Prayer"
Promptly at o'clock the train stop
ped at the station in the great city, and
General Ulysses 5. Grants last railway
ride was ended. One significant feature
Of the whole trip from Mount McGregor
to New York City Was, that not sound
Of the engine bell or whistle WAS heard
during the whole journey.
A severe thunder storm set in when
the train was about half way from Al
bany to New York, which continued to
pour at their arrival and the crowd
which had gathered was greatly dimin-
ished in consequence. But by the time
the procession was formed for the march
10 the hall the sun shOne out in its spIen-
dor and the immense crowd stood pa
tent with uncovered heads to witness
the march.
Hancock and staff had left the train
from the opposite side and passed
through the gate into Forty third street,
where the horses were waiting for the
coffin. The three SONS of Gen. Grant
also left the depot quietly. All the 9th.
ers who had come with the train follow
ed the remains ont in double file. The
citizens committee of 100. led by ex-
Mayor Cooper and ex-Gov. Cornell, ex-
Mayor Franklin Edison and Jackson
Schultz, walking, next followed the reg
ulars. Behind them were Gov. Hill and |
Gen. Farnsworth and his glittering staff,
and in their turn committees of the |
house and senate ut Albany. At Forty
third street the cataialque waited. Eight |
steps led up 10 the raised platform, up
on which the veterans set down the
bore no other mark or ornament save
the golden plate. Their duty done the
veterans stepped down and took their
stand beside the catafalque. The clash
of troops presenting arms and the
mOurnful strains Of dirge played by
the government band, had greeted the
appearance of the casket in the door
way. Files of soldiers were drawn across
the street. As the casket was borne be-
tween them the teemlng crowds behind
the militiamen uncovered and the mel
low light fell upon thousands of uncOy-
cred heads. Then the heavy tread oil
the military broke the stiffness az they
marched up To take their places beside
the catafaique. Twelve c0lOred men
seized the reins of the twelve horses,