The Portland daily press., 1888-08-13
THE LAST BUGLE CALL AT ARLINGTON.
General Sheridan Buried Among the
Boys Who Wore the Blue.
impressive Ceremonies by the Grave
of the Dead Commander.

Impressive CefenlonicS pv the Grave
of the Dead Commander.
Cardinal cIbbons's Eloquent Eulogy
of the Soldier and the Man.
WASHINGTON, Aug. little respect of
the public for the great general whose body
was laid at rest today in ground dedicf ted as
the sleeping place Of thousands Of his Gallant
comrades in arms, was shown by general
ces sation of business and the sorrowful in
terest shown in the pageant by the thousands
who lined the road to Arlington. The ser
vices in the church, according to the in-
pressive rites of the Roman Catholic church.
were very impressive. The sombre decora-
tions of the edifice had been increased. Mrs.
Sheridan, President and Mrs Cleveland.
the Congressional committees, representa-
tions of the army and navy, the cabinet, vet
eran associations and many prominent peo-
Pile were present. Cardinal Gibbons deliv-
cred the funeral sermon and paid the follow
ing tribute to the heroic dead
Cardinal Cibbons's Sermon.
The humanity exhibited in our late strug-
gle, contrasted with the cruelties exercised
towards the vanquished of former times, is
an eloquent tribute to the blessing of Chris
tian civilization. liz surveying the life of
General Sheridan, it seems to me that these
were his prominent features, and the salient
points in his character-undaunted heroism
combined with greatness of disposition; /;
strong as lion in war, gentle as a child in
peace; bold, daring, fearless, undaunted, un-
hesitating, his courage rising with the dan
ger, ever fertile in resources, ever prompt in
execution, his rapid movements never inn
PEELED By blind impulse, but ever prompted
by calculating mind. / have neither the
time nor the ability to dwell upon his mill
tary career from the time he left West Point
till the close of the war. Let me select one
incident which reveals to us his quickness of
conception and readiness of execution. | re-
fer to his famous ride in the valley of Vir-
ginia.. AS he is advancing along the road, he
sees his routed army rushing pei, NELL to-
ward him. Quick as thought, by the glance
of his eye, by the power of his word,
and i6, by the strength OF his
enemy and snatches victory from the jaws of
defeat. How bold lin war, how gentle in
peace. On some few occasions in Washington
had the pleasure of meeting Gen. Sheridan
socially IN private circles. l was f0rclby
struck by his gentle disposition, his amiable
manner, his unassuming department, his eye
beaming with good nature, and his voice
scarcely raised above whisper. said to my
self: Is this bashful man and retiring citi
zen the great general OF the American army?
LIS this the hero of so many battles? 1t is
true Gen. Sheridan has been charged with
being sometimes unnecessarily severe to-
wards the enemy. My conversation with
him strongly impressed me with the ground
lessness of charge which could in no wise
| be reconciled with the adherence which he
expressed for the atrocities of war, with his
natural aversion to bloodshed, and with the
hope he uttered he would never again be
obliged to draw his sword against an
enemy. am persuaded that the senti-
| genial home, a secure lodgment in the breast
of Gen. Sheridan. Those who are best ac-
| qnainted with his military career unite in
| saying that he never needlessly sacrificed hui
man life, and that he loved and cared for his
soldiers as father loves and cares for his
| children. But we must not forget that if the
departed hero was soldier, he was also citi-
zen and If we wish to know how man stands
as citizen, we must ask ourselves how he
stands as son, husband, and father. The
parent is the source of the family, the family
is the source of the nation. Social life is the
reflex of the family life. The stream does
not rise above its source. Those who were
admitted into the inner circle of Gen. Sheri-
udu HUNT uecu uOb DS bOlu ludJ IL was a
peaceful and happy one. He was a fond
husband and an affectionate father, lovingly
devoted to his wife and children. L hope
am not trespassing upon the sacred privacy
OF domestic. life when l state that the
generals sickness was accelerated, if not ag-
grayated, by fatiguing Journey which he
made in order to be home in time to assist at
domestic celebration in which one of his
children was the central figure. Above all,
Gen. Sheridan was a Christian. He died,
fortified nv the consultations Of rnliOi0u haU-
ing his trust in the saving mercies of our
Redeemer, and ar humble hope in a blessed
Immortality. What is life without the hope
Of Immortality What is life that is bound
ed by the horizon of the tomb? Surely it is
not worth living What is the life even of
the ant ediuvian patriarchs, but like the
mist which is dispelled by the morning sur? =?
What would 1t profit this illustrious hero to
earthly glory if he had no hope in the glory
to come? 1t is the hope Of eternal life that
constitutes at once our dignity and our NOR
al responsibility. God has planted in the
human breast an irresistible desire for inn
mortality 1t Is born with us, and lives and
moves with MS. It inspires our best and ho-
liest actions. Now, God would not have
given us this desire if he did not intend that
it should be fully satisfied He would not
have given US this thirst for infinite happi-
ness If he had not intended to assuage it. He
never created anything in vain. Thanks
to God, this universal yearning out of the
human heart is sanctioned and vindicat-
ed by the voice of revelation. The inspired
word word OF God not only procaims the immor-
resurrection of the body: II know" says
the Prophet Job, ''that my Redeemer livetn,
and that on the last day / shall rise out of
the the, earth, % and in my flesh | shall see my
God, wonder not at this" says our
Saviour, "for the hour cometh when all that
are IN their graves shall hear the voice of
| the Son OF Man, and they who have done
Well snail come forth to the resurrection of
lie, and they who have done i'll to be resur-
writes these comforting words to the Thes-
Salonlans Il would not have you ignorant,
brethren, concerning those that are asleep,
that We be not sorrowful like those who have
no nope, .for II we believe that Jesus died
| and rose again, even so those who have died
| In Jesus, God will raise unto himself. There
lore comfort yourselves with these words"
lhese are the words of comfort / would ad-
dress you, madam, faithful consort of the
| lllustrlous dead. This is the olive branch
| This is the silver lining of the cloud which
hangs over you. We followed you in spirit
| and with sympathizing hearts as you knelt
IN prayer at the bed of your dying husband
May the God OF all consolation comfort you
In this hour Of sorrow. May the soul of
| your husband be this day in peace, and his
abode in Zion. May his memory be ever en-
shrlned in the hearts of his countrymen,
and may our beloved country, which he has
loved and served so well, ever be among
the foremost nations Of the earth, the favor
ed land OF constitutional freedom, strong in
the loyalty of its patriotic citizens and in the
| genius and val0l of its soldiers till time shall
be no more. Comrades and companions of
the illustrious dead, take hence your great
leader, bear him to his last resting place,
carry him gently, lovingly, and though you
may not hope to attain his exalted rank, you
| will strive at least to emulate him by the
integrity of your private life by your devo-
tlon to your country, and by upholding the
honor of your military profession.
The March to Arlington.
| At the conclusion of the services in St.
Mathews church, eight sergeants from the
Third Artillery marched down the aisle and
lifting the casket upon their shoulders. bore
| it from the church. An artillery caisson was