The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-27

thousands. At least, half a million
spectators gathered in the streets to
watch the long procession escOrtfng the
body to the tomb. The republic had
never seen so great a funeral cOrtege
as that which assembled to do honor to
the remains of the dead commander
and president.
From peaceful NtATcGregor the body
had been taken to Albany, where it had
lain in state at the capitol for a day
and was then brought to New York
city. where multitudes looked upon the
body of the departed hero. On the day
of the funeral march, representatives
of the clergy of all denominations were
present when the pail bearers emerged
from the City hall and the casket was
placed in the funeral car, a magnificent
catafalQue, drawn by "a black horses
with black trappings and each led by
a COlOred groom The pail bearers were:
General William 7. sherman, General
j. E. Johnston. the southern soldier;
General Phil Sheridan. General Simon
b. Buckner of the former Confederate
army: George w ChiIds and Anthony
J. Drexel AdmiraIs Porter and Wor-
den, oliver HOyt and George Jones,
Generals John A. Logan and George S.
Boutwell,.
With measured tread and diree pIav-
ing, the funeral army started Fully
fifty thousand men were in line There
were celebrated generals who had
Fought with Grant; Grand Army men
who had served under him; Mexican
war veterans. United States cavalry
and infantry, state troops from many
states and civic bodies It was the
Srandest memorial pageant the world
had seen since that Of 1852 when the
Duke of Wellington was buried.
AT the Firth Avenue Hotel, President
cleveland. former Presidents Hayes and
Arthur, Vice President Hendricks Score
taries Thomas F. Bayard. William c
Whltney, Lamar and Manning and other
national state dignitaTieS Joined the pro-
ceSston. The grand marshal of the day
was General Winfield Scott Hancock. 1t
was truly a reunion of sections and APP
propriately signalized in action General
the almost endless line were many south
eI,n troops, the City guard of Atlantic, the
When the atafa1que passed the rnassed
crowds that occupied almost every avail
able inch of space from the City hall to
the tomb. all heads were barred rever-
emily under the blazing sun of that Sat
urday morning.
Beside the car was a guard of honor.
which consisted of battery a, Fifth. U S.
and some of the pail bearers in carriages.
veterans and civic bodies.
Late in the afternoon the catafalque
reached the small. plain brick vault sur
mounted by a gilded cross that shone in
the sunlight At this time the entire sur
rounding area was mass of glistening
bayonets and nodding plumes. soldiers on
horseback and soldiers on foot and bat
tle-wOrn flags. Standing near the spot
where the body of General Grant was to
presidents and the cabinet officers. was
a host of governors, senators. chief JUS
and a galaxy of famous men Colonel
Fred Grant, with his Wife. was there and
and his brothers, Jesse and Ulysses Jr
with their wives. children and relatives
WARSHIPS SALUTE.
The warshtps in the river Numbered sa-
lutes. The bend al the tomb played a
music of other bands we're heard from
near and distant spots. The co3coi1T Tli
stood there with heads barred in silent
respect as the simple funeral services
were begun.
A wreath of oak leaves made by the
was placed upon the purple ca.sket and
was profound stiffness as Rish0n Harris
read prayer and ParsOn Newman fol-
lowed with q portion of the funeral ser
vice of the Methodist church The ritual
lowed by trumpeter of the regular army
sounding Taps the last call of the camp.
al scene General Sherman cried out
right General Sheridan and General
to tears while thousands of veterans and |
onlookers could not restrain their grief.
Colonel Grant and his relatives went be- |
Slde the casket and the children threw /
their offerings of flowers upon it and re- |
was nor present Some OF her friends /
urged her TO be there. but she said that /
she felt that she had babe the general !
good bye at the funeral services a Mt. |
McGregor and she preferred to have that |
IS the remembrance of their last parting. |
10 the low strains OF music the casket J
was boTae into the tomb and placed in the /
steel casing The door of the vault was J
locked and the key handed to General /
Hancock. who passed it to Mayor Grace. |
In turn, the mayor gave the key to Presi- /
dent Crimmin5 of the ps--k commission
The Seventh regiment faced the river |
during this time and three volleys re- |
Then three volIeys more belch> |
ed from the guns of the Twenty-second /
regiment. The mounting of the guard /
followed The sentries were placed and /
they began the vigil which has not since /
ceased: Then the vast procession and /
gathering began to disintegrate. At !
O clock, when the last of the troops had |
gone. ten of the soldiers of Battery H of /
the Fifth u 5. artillery arrived at the /
door Of the tomb where two soldiers sta /
toned themselves with presented arms |
Hitler and thither paced two other senti- |
nelS with trailed arms
That night men who had fought in the
blue and men who had marched in the
gray met as comrades to talk over the |
time when they faced each other on the
field of battle. As the sentries paced in |
front of the unpretentious tomb. every |
one knew that the time SO ardentIy hoped /
for by General Grant had come in spirit /
as we'll in none. The immense crowds
to their homes and the city re- |
Sumed its normal aspect.