Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1886-02-20
BURIAL OF GEN HANCOCK.
It Is Marked by but Little IN the
Way of Military Pomp.

VI 0GN
It Is Marked by but Little IN the
Way of Military Pomp.
New YORK, Feb. l3.-Governor's
island. washed by q raging storm and
banked with fog, was as isolated as q
rock in mid.ocean. The footing Of
steam whistles and the occasional tones
Of distant fog bells were the only evl.
dence of its nearness to q great city.
The military colonel was astir at an
early hour. The little steamer Atlantic
which plies between the Battery and
the pier on the island, brought rel
loads Of officers in uniform and citizens
in dripping o~vercoats. AT. 1880 u. IN.
all the officers OF Governors island
assembled at the house, and the final
details of the funeral were perfected.
Mrs. Hancock had previously gone in to
look for the last time on the face Of her
husband. Her grief Was pitiful. She
kissed her husbands forehead while the
tears fell fast from her overlooking eyes.
Then she sank into g chair, and would
have fallen to the floor had kind hands
not come to her assistance, The last
farewell was too much for her strength
and all her poignant grief and conse.
quent prostration returned. When all
on the island had viewed the body the
coffin lid wa fastened down. On the
coffin were the generals sword and
chapeau. resting on the national flags.
At $50 the military escort Of seventy.
five men of batteries A, H and K, of
the Fifth artillery, came marching
through the sally port Of Fort Columbus
and drew up in line in front Of the
house,
Not q sound was heard until the or.
der was given to present arms, and then
through the heavy air came the tread Of
the soldiers bearing the coffin across
the veranda and down the steps.
Following the coffin were the relatives
and the generals personal staff. The
three personal aides were in full uni
form. The others wore undress uni.
forms Or citizens. clothing. On the
helmet OF one Of tho aides was the
white plume Of the infantry, or another
the red plume Of the artillery while
the other wore the chapeai and os.
trich feathers Of the engineer corps.
1t was 9 o'clock when the first gun fired
at Castle William doomed" out over the
bay, announcing that the boat was
ready to leave her dock. The body had
been placed in the cabin;-near it sat the
mourners and o few officers. A mo.
ment later the steamer swung out into
the stream and steered tor the New
York shore. The steam tugs blew
their whistles and carried their Aags at
halEmast. Tho barge Office dock was
reached at 9:15. The casket was lifted
from the trestle upon which it lay by
eight soldiers, who carried it to the
hearse in waiting, and to which were at
tached four coal black horses heavily
draped in mourning trappings. The
pail bearers, wearing white sashes over
the left shoulder, waited i'll the pa
Wilton for the landing Of the body.
Gen. Sherman and Secretary Bayard
were first, above Gen. Sheridan and
Schofeld, who were next. Gen. Sher-
mans unusually erect form was bent,
and there was an expression Of deep
sorrow on his face. Never had those
who saw him seen the old general
look SO broken. Secretary Bavard
stood as erect aa 8 statue. His face was
emaciated and az white us marble.
Sheridan and Schofeld we're the very
opposite to the two men ahead of them,
for both were rotund, tiorii, and appar-
emily in perfect health. A detachment
Of troops, consisting Of the Fifth artil.
lery. under the command Of Maj. Rich
ard II. Jackson, who had preceded the
coffin, were drawn up in line on White
hull street. Then the procession was
formed and took up its march to the
church. A large crowd had collected,
which completely filed the sidewalk
, from the battery to the church. The
, crowd was not made up of the usual
t components Of a city crowd, but was
mostly Of professional and business men
! and clerks. Everywhere silence fell on
\ the throng, and hats were raised as the
hearse went by. The police arrangmen'
3 were admirable, and no c~rowding O
spectators nor blocking Of the process
ion occurred.
The head Of the procession reached
the church just as the chimes which
| preluded the striking Of the hour. SCUM
q ded from the steeple. The escort drew
up on tho east side Of the street ane
stood facing the church. The ceffir
was lifted from the hearse by the guare
/ Of honor and borne into the church
!. followed by the pail bearers and family
l I.-l A. a. .-I o.- ,L1 L.