The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-03-11


General ". T. Sherman, the last great
Gsure of the Civil War, died of erysipelas a
few days ago, at lis home in New YORK
City, after an illness of ten days. His death
vas causel by the accumulation of mucus In
the lungs, which he was unable to throw off.
There was no sign of death beyond faint
grasp and stoppage OF the oresth.,
Uho noted the change were the physicians.
Around the deathbed were General SAer-
mans four daughters-Misses Lizzie and
Rachel Sherman, Mrs. Thakara and
Mrs. Lieutenant Fitch-his son, r.
r sherman: his brother, Senator John
Sherman: Drs. Janeway, Green ana
Alexander, and the nurse, Miss Price; zen
eraI .. o. Howard, General Thomas EWING,
General Henry W. Slocum and Mrs. waiter
Damrosch, daughter of Secretary bla.ns.
were in the pariors. General Snermaas
son, who is Catholic priest, did not arrive
from Europe in time to witness his fathers
last fight.
General Sherman caught severe cold ten
5avs before his death, when he attended
theatre party at the Casino In New York
CITY. On that occasion special invitation
had been sent out to the military officers IN
the city. and General Sherman sat IN one OF
He seemed to be then in the best OF health
and spirits and apparently enjoyed the per-
forn,ance immensely. He returned to his
nome Immediately after the performance,
and the next morning when he woke up he
found that he had taken severe cold.
This gave him no anxiety at first, but
when on the following day the symptoms OF
erysipelas began to show themselves ne sent
for DR.. Alexander.
q ..,l ho
DR.. Janeway was called in. his face and neck
were very much swollen and inaamed, and it
was realized that his condition was much
more serious than was at first supposed.
He continued to grow worse, and all his
family we're summoned:
Four days before his death the first intima.
ton of the serious nature Of his illness be-
came public, but there was no general alarm.
Next day the General was thought to be
dying, and extreme unction was admlnlstsred
by Catholic priest, but the old soldier rallied
and became SO much better that through all
Of the day prior to his death his family and
friends were cheered and began to believe In
the possibility of ultimate recovery.
. Hope was abandoned for the last time
tust at daybreak on the day of his death.
From that hour till death came it was only
question Of how long the almost exhausted
Vitality could hold at bay the enemy.
The erysipelas which had seemed to with
draw returned with renewed force. The
Inflammation became acute. and all during
the forenoon the sick mans lungs were oeins
slowly choked.
At las in the afternoon breathing began
to grow less and less frequent. The lungs
were gradually filling, and breathing was
becoming more and more difficult. The OLD
man had given up the struggle, and, uncon-
scious, was letting life pass from him.
All at once the breaths, which came now at
longer intervals, grew shorter. DR.. Alexander
glanced around, and then all eyes were liked
upon the one form. It was like the turning
down of light. Slowly, quietly, painlessly
the General died. There was one short
breath like sigh, and there came upon his
face that change which needs no interpreter.
Ali saw that he was dead. But the nurse,
leaning over, lifted his head and said in
whisper:
He is dead"
Only the cracking of tie fire was now to
be heard. The breathing had ceased, and
with it the life Of the last American to bear
ten minutes of two o'clock.
Lieutenant Fitch made semi-official
statement, giving the details Of the scene at
the deathbed later in the afternoon.
"At II o'clock" he said, "the General lost
consciousness, and DR.. Alexander said that it
was the beginning of the end. The Generals
head at the time rested high on pillow.
As the moments few by his breathing became
more difficult, and little by little the pillow
was lowered to ease him. At 1:20 o'clock
the signs Of approaching dissolution were
seen. The tips Of the dying mans fingers
became icy cold. Slowly the cold feeling
spread through the hands and then up the
arms. The breathing became more and
more difficult. The lungs were filing
with mucus, the doctor said, and the
dying man had not the strength to
throw it off. He was being strangled to
death. The pillow wss pressed lower and
lower, and finally it was taken away alto
gether. Only few minutes afterward
there was no long sigh and the nurse said,
'Heis dead So peaceful had been the death
that even the watchers could hardly realize
itn
The undertaken completed the process of
embalminS the Generals body about
o'clock. and then it was laid back Oh the bed
where he had died. The arms were folded
The only trace Of the erysipelas that was
visible was slight swelling under the eyes,
and swelling on the right cheek. After the
embalming few of the persons who called
were permitted to look at the features.
In Washington.