The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-08-12
Going to the Grave.
THE CLOSING SCENES AT MOUNT
McGREGOR.

-. McGREGOR.
The Body sareIy Conveyed to Sara.
=" toga e. Pars6n Newman's Sermon
on the Life and Services Of the
Deceased. tsaa .-r, ,-
Mt. McGREGoR, N. Y, August 4. On
the mountain brow by the Eastern look
out a gun doomed suddenly at four
o'clock this morning. The shock Of the
rcverberation was yet on the hcavy. air
when second report shook the earth.
The artillerymen had begun firing the
thirteen guns to mark the sunrise Of
General Grants last day upon the noun
tain. In quick succession and at short
intervals the guns were fired. The
guests at the hotel and the family at the
cottage were startled by the reports,
but the meaning Of the guns heavy
booming was quickly suggested to the
wakcn ear. Many arose when so arous-
ci to learn the weather outlook for the
day. On the mountain summit were
thick grey walls of fog on every hand.
The pelting rain Of the night had ceased
before daylight.
At an early hour the soldiers received
orders to break up camp and in less
than twenty minutes all the tents had
from among the trees and.
were packed away in boxes ready for
shipment: Notwithstanding the heavy
and continuous rain of the night the
soldiers slept we'll and were .ornSvr.ahlc.
They had an abundant supply of dry
straw to place under their blankets and
the tent covers being waterproof they
had little uneasiness from the rain.
Down on the mountain sides at 5:45
O'Clock the sound of the bugle rang out
on the still air; it was the assembly call
for the trumpctcrs. Fifteen minutes
later the buglers Of tho fonr companies
Of troops were sounding the revellic,
and as the last strains hoated over the
mountain they were, swallowed up in
tho booming of the gun, that every half
hour through all the day will thus tell
the valleys the significance of this day
and ut sunset close with 38 vollcys.
Then the soldiers in full uniform stood
at parade rest for roll call down where
the battery Of guns are planted, close
by the path Of General Grants last ride
to the lookout !.
The family ut the cottagc were astir
as,the morning touched eight O'Clock,
and correspondents and guests were
moving at the hotel The mountain
train at six O'Clock had begun bringing
up people, and every hour thereafter
the little engine drew up at the depot.
The funeral car to carry the remains
from the mountain to Saratoga cameeup
early and lay waiting the. burden it
should carry. The hustle Of an active
day had begun, and when it was eight
o'clock the'sun had cleared a way for
itself. The clouds had sailed away to
mountains across the valley. and the
plain lay bright and fresh and green be-
meath, the voice, of the cannon's echo
like rattliag thunder in the forest be-
low. 30 '-s.f..,... ... 8. ....,.
! Last night the family in a group and
alone had taken their final farewell of
the remains Of the dead General, and
to-day they give up his body to the no
ton. .s,Gsfh% 3 Eass -'fH $50. 20
Ats o'clock the family with the cx-
of Mrs: Grant repaired to the
hotel for breakfast On their return
Colonel g Graht:and this wife and Mrs.
Sartoris paused upon the ridge at the
rearsofs the cottage and among the pi.cs
70 scanSthe bright picture Of mountain
and valley. Then the family entered
the cottage and preparations were be-
gun for the funeral journey.
AT ha!f-past eight o'clock the doors of
the Grant cottage had been thrown
open and stream Of visitors poured in
steadily for over an hour. About nine
O'Clock the head Of along limo of bug
sies. wagons, omnibuses and various
kinds of vehicles appeared climbing up
the steep incline near the Eastern out
look, and soon the area in the vicinity
of the cottage was thronged with horses
and wagons and farmers with their
wives and hmilies.Si g s@s
E Atp;soa g train Of two ears brought
ssGencrar Hancock and number of dis
tinguished visitors, two companies OF
regulars being drawn up in line to re-
ceive them. They proceeded fI,om the
Station to the cottagc in the following
order: General Hancock and Colonel
Jones; Admiral Rowan and General
Sherman Senator Evarts and General
Rufus Ingalls, Senator Miller and Mr.
Joseph w. Drexel; General Hancock's
staff Miss Drexel, her aunt. and cousin
dresscds.h' deeps mourning On the