Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1885-08-01

His Last Moments at Mt. McGregor

GEN GRANT.
His Last Moments at Mt. McGregor.
Mount McGregor, July 23.-Gen Grant
breathed his last at sos a. m, surround
ed by all the immediate members of his
family and Drs. Sands, Shrady and
Douglas. The general maintained his
consciousness to the very last. A few
minutes before s o'clock Drs. Douglas
Shrady and Sands stood on the cottage
veranda, conversing on the condition OF
Gen. Grant, and discussing the probabili.
ties of his death and the limit of life
left the sick man. Mrs. Sartoris and
Stenographer Dawson were conversing
little distance away, when Henry, the
nurse, stepped hastily upon the piazza
and spoke quietly to the physicians.
He told them he thought the general
was very near to death. The medical
men hastily entered the room where
the sick man was lying and approached
his side. Instantly upon seeing the
patients face Or. Douglas ordered the
family to be summoned to the bedside.
Haste was made, and Mrs. Grant, Mr..
Jesse Grant and wife, U. S. Grant Jr.,
and with and Mrs. Col. Grant were
quickly beside the doctors at the sick
mans cot, and Mrs. Sartoris and Mr..
Dawson had followed the doctors in
from the piazza, and the entire family
were present.
AT THE BEDSIDE.
Col. Grant seated himself at the head
of the bed with his left arm resting
upon the pillow above the head Of the
who was breathing rapidly, and
with slightly gasping respirations. Mrs
Grant, calm, but with intense agitation
bravely suppressed, took seat close by
the beside. She leaned slightly upon
the colonel, resting upon her right ell
bow, and gazed with tear stained eyes.
into the generals face. She found
there, however, no token Of recognition,
for the sick man was peacefully and
passing into another life.
Mrs Sartoris came behind her mother,
and leaning over her shoulder, she wit
messed the close Of Il life in which she
had constituted strong element Of
pride. Directly behind Mrs. Grant and
Mrs Sartoris, and little distance re-
stood Doctors Douglas. Shrady
and Sands as spectators Of closing life
their efforts and counsel had so prolong-
ed On the opposite side Of the bed
from his mother and directly before her
stood Jesse Grant and U S. Grant, Jr.,
and near the corner of the cot, on the
same side AS Jesse and near TO each, was
\. +. Dawson, the generals stenogra-
pher and confidential secretary. At the
foot of the bed, and gazing directly
down into the generals face, was Mrs
Col. Fred Grant and Mrs. L. S. Grant
Jr., and Mrs. Jesse Grant, while some
what removed from the family circle,
Henry, the nurse, and Harrison Tyrell
generals body servant, were respective
ly watching the closing life Of their
patient, their master. DR.. Newman had
repaired to the hotel for breakfast and
was not present. The generals little
U. S. Grant, Jr., and
Nellie, were sleeping the sleep Of child
hood in the nursery room above. Other
wise the entire family and household
were gathered at the bedside of the dy-
ing man.
SUMMONED JUST IN TIME.
The members Of the groupe had been
summoned not moment sooner than
was prudent. The doctors noted, on en-
tering the room and pressing to the bed
side, that already the purplish tinge
which was one of natures signals Of
final dissolution had settled beneath the
finger nails. The hand that DR.. Douglas
lifted was fast growing colder than it
had been through the night. The pulse
had fluttered beyond the point where
the physician could distinguish it from
the pulse beat in his own finger tips.
The respiration was very rapid and was
a succession of shallow painting inhala-
tions, but toward the close they became
less labored and almost noiseless. This
fact was the result a comfort to the
watchers by the bedside to whom was
spared the scene Of an agonizing or
otherwise than a peaceful death. The
wife almost constantly stroked the face,
and hands Of the dying gen.
erai, and at times, as the passionate
longing to prevent the event 80 near
would rise within her, Mrs. Grant
pressed both his hands and leaning for
ward tenderly kissed the face of the
sinking man. Col Fred Grant sat
but with evident feeling, though
his bearing was that of soldierly son
at the deathbed Of hero father. U. S.
Grant, Jr., was deeply moved, but Jesse
bore the scene steadily, and the ladies,
while watching with wet cheeks, were
silent as befitted the dignity Of life
such as was closing before them. The
morning had passed five minutes be-
yond o'clock and there was not one of