The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-12-25
THE SOUTH IN MOURNING,

Ceremonies at the Bier of Jefferson
Davis in New Orleans.
The funeral of Jefferson Davis at New
Orleans was attended by thousands Of
people, representing the prominence and
wealth of the Southern States. Seven
Governors were present, attended by
their stats and bringing with them great
parade was a marked one. A dozen compa-
nies from Georgia, Texas, Mississippi and
Alabama took part, and the Louisiana State
National Guards and Volunteer Militia, of
New Orleans, participated. The crush on
the streets equaled anything that has ever
been witnessed at New Orleans on the occa-
sion of carnival festivities. In Lafayette
Square, just opposite the City Hall, a dense
multitude gathered, and adjacent streets
were crowded with people from all over the
country.
The floral decorations came from every
State and city in the South. The town was
draped from one end to the other with most
elaborate showings of black. Business fronts
and residences were covered, and every bit
of bunting there was in the city few on a
staff at half-mast
At an early hour the streets were thronged
with soldiers and firemen in uniform, men,
bers of various.civic organizations, and repre-
sentatives Of every profession, avocation and
meeting stations, from whence a few hours
later they concentrated in Lafayette Square.
AS soon as the doors Of the City Hall were
opened stream Of visitors began to pour
through the death chamber to take a fare
well view Of the remains Of the Confederate
leader. The crowd of visitors was even
greater than that Of previous days, there be-
Ing hundreds of people from abroad whose
visit to the city had been delayed until the day
Of the funeral. 1t was not until II 80 o'clock
that the lid of the casket closed down forever
upon the features Of the dead. The remains
were then conveyed to the front portico of
the City Rall, where the simple but impres-
sive rites of the Episcopal church were per-
formed.
Lafayette Square, in front Of the City
Hall, was densely packed with people, and
the balconies and every available space was
crowded in the extreme. At the conclusion
of the religious services the coffin was borne
by detachment Of soldiers to the caisson on
which it was to be conveyed to the cemetery.
The caisson was drawn by six black
horses, two abreast, caPrisoned In
artillery harness and plumess,. and
uniform. The various battalions wheeled
into line preceded by a detachment of the
city police, and followed in turn by the
clergy, pall-bearers and so on, in their re-
spective order As the procession traversed
the streets, from every church a knell was
tolled, while dirges blended with the
booming of the minute guns. Great
crowds lined the streets through
which the procession passed. The entry
of the procession into the beautiful
cemetery away out on Metairie Ridge was
made with all the pomp and circumstance Of
a military and civic occasion. Metairie is
the prettiest cemetery in the South. Within
it lie the bodies of thousands Of Confederate
veterans, and here are most of the tombs of
the military and veteran associations Of New
Orleans It is in this cemetery, In
a subterranean vault, that the Sonth-
ern leader was temporarily laid to
rest. The tomb Of the Army Of Northern
Virginia is beneath the marble monument to
StonewaI jackson. Beneath heavy slab
Of marble is an underground chamber with
vaults running all around. 1t was in one of
these that the body of Mr.. Davis was placed.
The monument was decorated with extreme
simplicity. The mound was covered en-
tirely with green moss and around the
shaft was wound chain Of laurel and oak
leaves An immense throng Of people wit
messed the exercises in the cemetery.