Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-02-20
Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman
Breathes His Last on St.
Valentines Day.
His Death Was as Peaceful and Gen
tie as a Babe Falling
Asleep.
He Died Surrounded by the Mem
bers Of His Family and
His Physicians.

died to-day without speaking a word. He
but was unable to utter any sound other
than a hoarse gasp. He apparent recog-
nized those about him by the look of the
eye. His tongue was swollen and his jaws
were stiff some hours before he died.
The signs of death were noticed half an
hour before he died, in the icy GOODNESS of
his finger tips. The GOODNESS gradually
extended to his hands and arms. He was
unconscious for the last two hours he was
alive. At his bedside were his son, II. F.
Sherman, his daughters. Rachel and Lizzie,
Lieutenant and Mrs. Fitch, Lieutenant
and Mrs. Thackerea, Senator John Sher-
man, DIR. Alexander and General Thomas
Ewing. The two daughters remained
kneeling, one on each side of the bed, dur
ing the last hour of the life of their father.
No priest Or clergyman was present,
neither were any called. The general did
not suffer any pain for the last two days.
All night long he lay in bed with his
head high, but towards the morning he
worked his head lower, until at last he
lay perfectly flat. The end came
peacefully and quietly while the general
lay unconscious, surrounded by all the
members of his family except Thomas Ew-
ing Sherman, who is now on the ocean. on
his way to this country. There was just a
slight culver OF the muscles of his face, the
old soldier ceased to breathe and all was
over. Although all hope had been aban-
doned for hours, the shock was great to
the mourning friends who were at his bed
side, and for many minutes no one left the
room. They hung over the death bed,
weeping and gazing on the stilled face so
dear to them. Then young Thomas Ew-
ing left the house, aud his appearance,
even. before he spoke a word, was a signal
to those who waited without that all was
over. He fastened to the telegraph office
around the corner; but the reporters were
before him, and before he had reached it,
the new of the generals death was
spreading far and wide over the wires
throughout the country. Shortly after,
Secretary Barrett reached the telegraph
office and sent messages announcing the
generals death to President Harrison,
Secretary of State Blaine, Secretary of War
Proctor, Mrs. Rusk and many others. "He
died
LIKE a BABE FALLING ASLEEP"
he said; "there was no suffering, no pain.
| After ten o'clock he lay mOtionIess and but
the very slightest respiration showed that
life still existed. DIR. Alexander was by
his bed side along with members of the
family. Before noon time, all agreed that
death was merely a question of minutes.
Arrangements for the funeral" concluded
Barrett, "are in charge of Gen. Henry w.
SlOcum. The interment will probably be
made in Galway cemetery, st. Louis,
where his wife and other members OF his
family are inferred.
DEATH WATCH.
The change in the appearance of things
about General Sherman's late residence,
caused by his death, was remarkable. A
group of little girls were playing tag down
to the east of the house, while to the west
the newspaper deatA-watch stood in a
group, discussing the probabilities of the
veterans living for another day. A small
crowd of curious people had gathered on
the sidewalk opposite the house and gazed
at the lace curtained windows of the sick
chamber with anxious and sympathetic
eyes. Voices were hushed and nerves
were drawn to the extreme tension, for in
a moment that great struggle between
death and his u%ncOnqnered adversary
might be ended. There were faces at
nearly every window in the brown stone
houses fronting and within range of the
Sherman mansion. The sun had ceased to
shine and
THE OF SORROW
stood in the chill and shadow, more
gloomy than ever. A sudden gust of wind
| tOrQ tho laot hN1latin ~ thn potiapt,o ooo
dition from the glass of the storm door,
where it had been posted for public in
spection. AS it auttertd away into the
street, a liveried servant pushed hurriedly
through the doors and out or to the stoop.
He called to an officer on duty and the lat
ter walked toward him. The domestic
bent toward the officer and whispered
something to him. Newspaper men drew
closer; everyone was eXpectant and wait.
ing for an Interpretation of the message.
The policeman turned toward the report
ers; but the servant, as if the burden of
his news was too great to longer contain,
said in a smothered voice: "He is gone,
He died at 1850"
A RUSH FOR THE TELEGRAPH OFFICE.
Young Ewing dashed out of the
house almost before the words were
spoken, and was running for the tel.
egraph Office. The newspaper men joined
in the rush. Faces disappeared from the
windows and occupants of the houses hur-
ried into the street. eager to get all and any
information they could. Generals Sl0cum,
Coils and Woodward came from the house
and held short consultation regarding ar
engagements for the funeral. General Slo.
cum said the arrangements had not been
perfected. He and General Howard will
meet at General Sherman's late re idence
at noun to. morrow to arrange all the de.
tails. General Coils said that a guard
would be sent from Governors Island to
take charge of the remains while they re-
manned in the house.
A STRANGE PREMONITION.
In speaking of General Sherman's ill
ness, General Coils said that two weeks
ago he had had a conversation with the
general while that gentleman was visiting
him at his house, of which the subject wa,
the approaching of the anniversary o
General Grants birthday, OF April 9th
General Sherman at that time, though il
the best of health, said he would be deat
and in his grave on the day when the cele
bration occurred. He told General Colli
that he had a premOniti0n that while at
banquet some cold night he would con
| tract a cold which would carry him of