The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-03-03
Born February IA, 1924,
Died February 9. 1886.

Six sergeants bearing black cloth-covered
bier came into the room, and placing the
coffin upon it, bore the body out Of the house,
I'll e detachment Of troops drawn up outside
then moved down the winding path to the
government steamer Chester A. Arthur. As
the cortege boarded the boat gun from
Castle William belched forth a report. Min
ute guns from the castle were fred until the
procession reached the church.
The steamer landed at the Barge office,
around which there was dense throng The
casket was carried ashore and placed in the
inspection room while the procession was
being formed on the street.
1t was twenty minutes to 10 o'clock when
the word to move was given, and at that
minute it began to rain heavily. First
in line were two mounted policemen;
then ten policemen in command of
a sergeant. Following this es-
cort was Major jackson and his command,
then ten carriages, containing the mourners
hearse, the body guard marching on either
side of it. Ten carriages followed the hearse,
in which were seated military and official
gentlemen.
Volunteers brought up the procession,
They were representatives from the various
G. A. R. posts; members Of the Loyal
Legion, led by General Aspinwall, from the
Hancock Legion of Brooklyn; veterans OF
the Tenth N. Y. Volunteers; committeeman
citizens. Superintendent Murray had 900
policemen on duty. The route of the pro-
cession, up Whitehall to State, to Broadway
and the church, was packed W, b people.
Rev. Morgan Dix, the rector, and Rev. E.
H. C. Goodwin, of Governors Island, met
the procession at the door. Promptly at 10
o'clock, the hour appointed, the procession
entered the church. First came the reverend
gentlemen above named, followed by the
casket, borne by eight veterans in blue; next
the pallbearers, then the friends Of the dead
Chopin's Funeral March" The casket,
partly covered by the American flag, was de-
posted outside the chancel rail.
The pall-bearers, consisting Of Hon. Thos.
F. Bayard, Gen. Alfred q. Terry, Gen. VIM.
T. Sherman, Gen. Philip n. Sheridan, Gen.
William B. Franklin, Gen. N. A. Miles,
Gen. John Newton, Gen. James B.
Fry, Gen F. A. Walker, Gen. Will
cox, Gen. VIM. F. Smith, Col W. P.
Wilson, Colonel Finlay Anderson, Major w.
D. W; Miller and Mr.. B. NJ. Rartshorne oc-
cupied the first pews to the left of the center
aisle. In the third pews, on the right, were
Lieutenant Griffin and Mrs. Griffin, the neice
of Mrs. Hancock, with the generals grandson.
Other friends occupied pews in the rear.
Among the prominent persons in the church
were Secretary of War Endicott, Colonel P
J. Yorke, Mayor Grace and the special Al
dermanic committee, Senator Evarts, John
Jacob Astor, General Aspinwall, George W.
Childs and many others. There were also
delegations from the various military and
civic societies and the commercial bodies
There were many floral tributes from SOL
dier and civilian friends.
tek.,, 4Lo ,;~,:,,. h., %bo oLo;,. %lo Do1r
Mr.. Goodwin read the fifteenth chapter of
the first Epistle to the Corinthians. Then
followed the hymn 531, after which the choir
surrounded the casket, and Rev Mr.. Good
win read the burial service.
After another hymn by the choir, Rev. DR..
Dix, standing at the foot Of the coffin, ,recited
the Lords Prayer, and concluded the service
at 10.45 Then the eight soldiers carried the
remains from the church, followed by the
bearers, mourners and escort, in the same
order in which they had entered, the bell
meanwhile tolling a solemn requiem.
The remains were then conveyed to the
Four handsomely -draped passenger coaches
containing the body guard of honor, pail
bearers and mourners, formed the funeral
train which started out for Norristown,
Penn.
Norristown was reached at 2:45 All busi-
ness had been suspended in the town and the
crowd which surrounded the station filled
the neighboring streets for blocks on every
side. Again the guard Of honor lifted the
remains of their old commander and de-
posted the casket in the hearse which was in
waiting.
The funeral procession was Immediately
formed. The carriages containing the pail
bearers, preceded by the carriage OF Mr. B. E.
Chain, prominent citizen Of No11istown, led
the way The hearse followed, and then came
the town council, the Hancock Veterans of
Philadelphia, and the Masonic organizations
of which the dead general was a member;
After these came body Of citizens and cler-
gynen of the town The church bells tolled
and cannon thundered during the entire
march.
The Montgomery cemetery, as the Norris
town burial ground is called, is situated about
a mile and half from the village. There
the Loyal Legion formed a hollow square
around the tomb, and the pall-bearers took
their places in the middle in two ranks with
uncovered heads, while the casSet passed
through into the plain vault of the Hancock
family.
On mound near by stood Light Battery
Of the Fifth artillery with four guns. AS the
body was placed in its compartment the ar
tillery saluted. which was followed by vol
lev from the muskets of the soldiers.
Bugler Richard Frank then sounded the
taps for the hero's final rest and the funeral
returned to the station and dis
nersed