The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-06-01
EE-INTERMENT OF THE REMAINS
OF E\-pRESIUENT DAVIS.

TlcnlDefCu IN kiCHtnOId, II DCIiS tiS
occasion Of the reinterment Of the re-
mains of our dead cheftain ex-Presl-
dent jefferson Davis, when immense
throngs assembled to do homage and
pay the last sad and solemn tribute to
him whom We all admired SO much
and whose memory will always be
cherished with tcnderest reverence by
every one in this lair Southland OF
ours. No political significance can be
attached to the occasion. 1t was only
the last Opportunity of showing that
universal love and admiration for the
great hero Of the " Lost Cause" From
the Geographic dispatches we condense
the following concerning the march OF
the funeral cortcge from the time OF
the departure from New Orleans along
the whole route to Richmond
As the Jeff Davis funeral tram
pulled out Of New Orleans crowds
appeared at every street corner on
both sides Of the track until the cor
pOratc limits were passed. As soon
as the COrtcge reached the open
country and got under speed the
military part Of the escort laid aside
their arms and uniforms, except that
the veterans kept on their gray coats
ready 10 take turns in standing guard
over the Casket.
At every station crowds had assem-
bIcd, gray headed old soldiers and
ladies and children with flowers being
prominent features.
The rich uniform of the staff Of the
Governor Of Louisiana, heavily laced
IN gold, every officer IN full dress !;
the gray uniforms OF the men Of the
United Confederate Veterans, the
badges and buttons of the other
veterans, most Of them worn with red
and white ribbons and the familiar
gray SLOUGH hat, made the cars present
Il striking appearance.
The grave and dignifed appearance
of the veteran escort is particularly
noticeable. The generals, colonies
and privates had an air Of performing
a sacred duty, and each borne equally
his turn in standing guard.
There were no floral tokens on the
Caskct outside of those Of the Louis
lana veterans and the ladies Of New
Orleans till Beauvoir, Mr.. Davis old
home, was reached. Here the track
and station platform had been carpeted
with the most beautiful and fragrant
snow white rhododendrous. The little
children of Beauvoir thus paid their
tribute to the memory of one whose
declining years had been passed at
that place.
The train made a brief stop at
Mobile, where the Scmmes Camp,
Confederate Veterans, was drawn up
two hundred strong on the platform,
with the camp flag floating in the
breeze, while battery of the Alabama
State Artillery fired salute of twenty
guns. The train then moved out for
Montgomery where the most inspiring
scene was presented to the observer.
The gathering was not one of clan or
class. Rich and poor, great and
small, the august and the lowly touched
elbows all with but single thought to
bow in grateful homage to the memory
Of our dead president. The beautiful
and impressive services in honor of
Jefferson Davis did not end with the
solemn ceremonies at New Orleans.
All along the route, wherever the
funeral train stopped they were greeted
with crowds of patriotic citizens who
came from their homes far and near in
silence and sadness to do their homage
to the illustrious dead Old veterans,
with reCollections of bloody conflicts
still fresh in their memories, women,
with souls full Of generation tor him
who gave his life for the hopeless
cause, and young men, who knew OF
his noble deeds only in story and
song, all yield to the impulses of their
loyal hearts and come and mingle
their tears and offer their prayers in
Commemoration of the life of the able
defender of our rights and the peerless
champion of our liberty.
y striking feature Of the ceremonies
was that this outpouring of the people
of the South was spontaneous. The
committees in charge of the transfer OF
the remains Intentionally RETAINED
from any step that would arouse the
people to action. The men in
authority determined upon and strictly
adhered to a policy in effecting the
disinterment and removal of the re-
mains commensurate with the digni-
fed simplicity that marked the life OF
Mr.. Davis. Several brief stops were
made between New Orleans and
Montgomery where crowds of men
and women had gathered to see the
casket.
\ great, surging crowd greeted the
funeral train when it pulled into
atlanta at $50 Monday afternoon
The people made most imposing
body, being participated in By every
military organization in the city, and
countless numbers of Confederate
veterans and other citizens. As was
the case at Montgomery, the caske'
was borne upon a caisson to the State
Capitol building.
y most touching incident in the
ceremonies was that while the Casket
rested IN the supreme court room, a
number OF ladies filed by the bier, each
contributing as she passed an offering
OF flowers, until the casket was literally
baptized in the beautiful symbol OF
love and alteration.
All the way from Atlanta to Char
lotte there were demonstrations as the