The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-08-24
4saERlpAs,s FUNERAL.
II Compliance with His Resse.t the Last Rites
Were Transformations.


The funeral of Gen. Sheridan took place Mt
Washington. The srntry ha,l paced up an,l
down in front of the catnfnique md the
honor Of thu Loyal Legion had been sitting
In the front pew at his si,l". When the light
of the early morning drove tho dark shadows
from tho rhancrl and revealed thu SOM
lcr dr,pcry that hung in fisto"ns
about the rhmr, the frcIucntcrs ot
early mass came, and with them IL great
number of working people to take one look
at thu c,skrt for the last time. Twice only
Ind the casket l.rn opri,cl-Onrr TO permit
the brother John. who had just arrived from
the plains. to see the remains for the first
nnd last time; again to permit Mrs. Sheridan
To have one more look ut the soldiers face.
and then all Withdrew.
After early mass the church WINS closed for
n time, and when il was rcopenc,l those pro-
Nidc,l with tirkrts began 10 arrive.
The invitations had requested TINT those
who held the cards should hr in their seats II
Iittlr before 10, and the suggestion Of the
military officers was command. None Ills
regarded it except the president md Mrs.
Cleveland and Secretary hayward. They
came after the family had entered. The
,lrsse,l in black, ind the army
mil navy officers were in full uniform.
Tho congregation, of persons Of miXGl W..
li3ious belief, or none, was not very familiar
with the ceremonial Oft h. ';ttholic high mass.
Aud some rs,lcd in Calvinistic fifth made
poor work oft when they undertook L" par
tiriI,atr. The incense burning, the jingle nf
bells. the grnurrtuils, the clappng oi tho
master ufcrirmonirs the intonatiuns Of tho
Dominican priests were the features Of II re-
ligious ceremony which were new tn mnny
who were present, and the religious at titu,i,s
whirh some of them attempted were not
characterized by military precision. FEW
minutes before 10 O'clock. ms the mufllrd
voices of the officers in command nf the
troops forming outside could be hearl
through the open windows. the altar boys
lighted the high candles about the altar, md
the low strnins nf funeral music from the or
gan mingled with the chanting of the priests.
4 procession of sanctuary boys issued from
the sacIisty, the clergy entered in solemn
procession. II chorus Of Dominican priests be-
gan the information of the "Miscrcre' md the
wniling notes Of tho dirge music broke forth
from the Orguns us the cardinal in his red
robe of Office knclt before the altar mud as
'rn'lcd the cardinals throne. The mass
ended and the rnrtlinal delivered an address.
After tile sermon. the ceremony Of nbsolu
ti"n was begun. The cardinal was nrrnycd
by his assistants in black cap decorated
with gold. On his head was n tail white hat.
Thus. preceded by the nltar boys and the
clergy, he left tho place at the altar md pro-
cec,lcd to the casket Of the dead. The ear
dinal knclt, the choir Of Dominicnns chantcd
"Lilrra me Domino" the cardinal rose and
sprinklal the rasket with holy water and in.
. ., it with burning incense and pronounced
turned to his throne, the Domincans
chantc,l "lsene,lictus." the priests ms they
finished their parts, silently disappeared into
the sncristy. and I he high requiem mass was
nj amend. While tho services were in progress
the raisson WAS placed in II position to re-
trive the caskct, and the generals horse was
led TO n rlac" Immediately l@hnd. The
horse is ~ dark bay. and was bought by gem
cral Sheridan in Chirag, about four years
ago. u was bridlcd nId sadd|.sl jus, MS when
last ridden by the general. The generals
miitury loOts were in the stirrul,s, with the
toes pointing backwards The animal was
led by u tall sergeant in full uniform.
In ntr"l,lan'r with the wishes Of Mrs.
Sheridan the funeral was strictly military
affair, and the escort WAS formed precisely
as prsrrin,l by the army regulations for IN
utticrrnf he RINK of he deceased. Just lr-
fore The CLOSE of the services Ten Srhoirli
nnd his ai,lrs arranged themselves in front uf
the troops and prepared to receive the funeral
party. The rlanking Of sahers and
III" steady tramp of artillery ser
cd the final notes of the Bono
.lictus. aud the strong arms oithc scrscants
bore the ci,sket to the rnsson at the door.
Then he long hot mnrcl, to Arlington com
merced. Ten. Srlutirll. mounted up
an II splendid horse, gave the word uf
command. That word was crhOed down the
line TIL. huslc sounded and tho procession
Reached Arlington haitian hour before tho
lmr"ssion. and proceeded ut once to clear he
sl'nrc about the grave. Not only WAS
sitting room cleared for the family
aud official Monrncrs, but sew.
er;ii acres were vacated, so that thu hundreds
of wor'hy ritiz"ns were unable to get even II
glimpse of the ceremony Of the intcrmrnt
This was needless. and could serve no Other
purpose than To permit some one clothed in
brief authority TO exercise his power. A
young staff officer give the order 1t en-
cludc,l from tho linr Il man who had made
many campaigns with Sheridan. and another
who rrc"untc'l from 'clini the sacred
boundary experiences lie had had in the bat
ties Of llis country years before the gil,lrd
been removed twenty fIrt from the grave
and placed under an ;,'liarrnt tulip tree, and
the sward 30 carefully cleaned that there were
no traces Ofcarth upon it. The grave itself
was in fact n soldiers grave. 1t was simply
an excavation in the earth. There was no
brickw"rk aud no ccmrnting or sl,rathing-
nothing to- keep the earth or water from cus-
,n: ~ 'o'm' ."'f"sh't. me nun III cil;ifSe
said that that was Sllcri,lan's wish. He d.
sired To lr buried as n soldier. A more np-
propriatc spot could not have been sclrrt.ui
Tor iir gravrnf the general of the army
ih'lip Sheridan living was always at the
head of his army: l'llil Sheridan dcnd also at
Ill" nn, "f his army. hut il is II vast silent
nrmy.1G.iG0 strong. Their graves liz b.-
hind linn. marked by long lines Of white head
stones: lin" after line, column after column;
Ike regiments and l,rga'lcs at rest. In this
clr'"t''" there are 100 acres, and room. IT
is estimated for 100 900 graves. and every
soldier OF the army ar old soldier of the war
WHO ilGSii,S Ing tho i.lt .f