The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-15
LifeW asGiven
to Country.
TAFT WAS BURIED
Among Hills Of Charlton
Where He Lived.

Charlton, Nov. 14.-With solemn SER
vice, surrounded by his friends OF home
and the soldier boys with whom ne
struggled over the Cuban battlefelds,
all that was mortal of the Charlton
hero, Priv Fred B. Taft, was aid at
rest yesterday afternoon. The services
were attended by fully AGO people, and
the whole town was out to DO nonor to
the boy whom they all so dearly loved.
The funeral service was down to be-
gin at 2 O'Clock, but long before that
period. crowds began to arrive, and the
church was rapidly filled. 1t was a lit
tie past 2 o'clock, when the muffled
drum of the soldiers guard OF honor
announced the coming OF the funeral
cortege, and a few minutes later the
line drew up in front of the Congre-
gational Church.
Here there was pathetic sight Hun
dreds of people stood with barred heads
while the body was being taken from
the hearse, and the sight of the cas-
ket, draped in its American flag, be-
ing borne down the aisle to the altar,
drew many tears from those who had
The casket was borne by six of his
former associates, members of the COM
pany which were with MIN through
Cuba's strife, and others VINO were in
the fire department with him before
the war
Those who officiated as bearers were:
Privs. Crooker Gleason, Pemberton
and Lowell of Company c, and F. II.
Bassford of Hose 1, A. Fl. Jones of Lad
der 3, 3. l. Knapp of Ladder and e.
S. Phipps of Chemical g. which was
the soldiers company before the war.
The body was borne down through
the centre aisle of the church as the
peals from the organ sent forth sad
marching melody and the casket was
placed on it's bier before the altar rail.
Resting in this position, it was COM
pletely surrounded by flowers and
draped with the flag of the country he
served
At the head of the casket a large pill
low from Company and still another
from the fire ladies with whom he WAS
associated, were SEEN and there were
several large bouquets and flowers in
other designs, which friends Of the
dead soldier had sent.
The services in the churcn We're in
charge of Rev. DR.. Almon Gunnison,
assisted by Rev. Isaac Quinby Of Bos-
ton. A quartet in attendance opened
the service with a. selection, and then
there was scripture reading by the Of
fieiating clergyman. DIR. Gunnison
spoke about the horrors Of war, and
the result which must come from war.
Peace. such as is enjoyed instead of
the fortunes of war cannot be had with
out sacrifice, but the sacrifice OF human
lives was sometimes more than one can
stand. He expressed sorrow at the loss
to the country of such noble young
life, and said that it had been freely
given in behalf of the cause which was
so we'll known, and that with the thou
sands of others the Charlton hero had
worked his way into the everlasting
gratitude of grateful nation
Or. Qulmby, an old friend of the Taft
family, followed DR.. Gunnison, and he
spoke at length, paying g high tribute
to the life and work of the dead SOL
der. Such life carried with it the
best there was in the existence of Am
erican manhood and the boy had show
ed his love for country by the sacrifice
of his life
At the close OF the service, the body
was borne from the church to the
hearse in waiting, and from there the
procession moved to Hillside cemetery,
where interment was made in the fam
lily lot. The parade from the church to
the cemetery was solmen one to look
upon. Besides the bearers, who walked
in the uniforms of their respective call
ngs on either side of the hearse, there
was a firing squad of eight men, under
command of Corporal Vaughan. These
men included Priyates 2. A. Briggs,
Eugene Drury, w. A. Merrifeld, H. H.
Adams, ]. H. Allen. A Briesdorf, w.
G.. Dennis and c. H. Knibbs.
Captain Allen and Lieutenant King
Of Company C were also in the line
Another prominent attendant at the
services, both at the church and at the
grave, was Mayor Rufus B. Dodge Of
this city
When the cortege reached the Taft
family lot in Hillside cemetery. the body
was tendeFly lifted from its place and
slowly lowered into the grave. While
this last act was being performed, hun
dreds of people stood by, and tears were
shed in silence as the box finally rested
in the grave. The volley was fired by
the squad frera Company c, and the
service was at an end.