The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-09-27
FUNERAL OF MISS DAVIS
Laid to Rest in the Land
She Loved.
A NATIONS TRIBUTE.

Daughter Of Their Former Cbief-The
Services at the Church Impressive-
The Floral Offerings Beautiful aud
Elaborate.
Richmond, Va, September 2S.-Va-
rinna Ann jefferson Davis, the
daughter Of the confederacy." sleeps
her last sleep in the bosom Of the land
she loved SO we'll. Her remains arriv-
ed here at $40 O'Clock this morning
and We're met at the depot by Lee
camp, Confederate Veterans, Of which
she was a member, and delegates from
Pickett camp. Colonel Archer Ander-
son, Hon. j. Taylor Ellyson, Colonel
E. L. Hobson and DR.. George Ross
and their wives received Mrs. Davis
and those of her immediate party who
We're on the train. The casket was borne
to the hearse from the funeral train
by the gentlemen selected for active
pallbearers and the guard of honor and
the veteran escort followed in column
of fours.
There We're four beautiful white
, horses attached to the hearse each
one being led by a colored man. The
casket was placed in the lecture room
and Colonel Laughton dismissed the
escort. Two members of the guard of
honor remained constantly on duty,
, being relieved every half hour.
Throughout the forenoon the COM
mttee to receive and to list flowers
at St Pauls was kept busily engag-
ed, and the collection was simply su-
perb. Upon being deposited in the lee
ture room, the caSket was surrounded
/ by floral tributes from any states. At
! it's head was a large battle flag of i'm
! mortelles, received from Alexandria,
! which rested upon a stand draped in
black silk To the left of the casket
| was the furled flag of the Confederacy.
; The stand supporting the casket rested
! upon the battle flag. From Charleston,
! S. c., came a palmetto tree, with the
| request that it be placed at the head
/ of the grave.
| The funeral of Miss Winnie Davis
! took place at $3.50 o'clock. The organ
played the Jefferson Davis Funeral
| March," as the procession entered the
! church. First came the veterans of Lee
! camp; then the Sons of Veterans.
! These passed up the main aisle and
were seated to the left. The veterans
| of Pickett camp came next, going over
/ to the left aisle and taking seats al
! the front on the right. The ministers
! OF the various churches Of the city
J had previously entered the church and
| occupied seats to the right Of the chan
| Gel Following the Pickett camp vet
| Grams were the veterans representing
| camps in other states, and behind
J them and Immediately in front of the
casket came the honorary pail bearers.
| Following them came the guard of
| honor, which had charge of the casket
! during the day, and next came the
| casket, borne by the active pall-bear-
ers. Mrs. Davis followed close behind
| the casket, leaning on the arm of Col
! onel Archer Anderson. She walked
| with bowed head and very feebly
| leaning heavily on her cane. Mrs.
Hayes and other relatives and near
| friends followed and Immediately be-
! hind came about 300 veterans. The
! flower and flag covered casket was
| placed on the pedestals in front Of
the chancel and Mrs. Davis and her
| party took seats.
| Soon the body Of the church and gall
| leries were filled. The galleries were
the only portion Of the church thrown
| open 10 the public.
Rev. DR.. Carmichael announced the
first hymn, How Firm a Foundation %
which was a favorite of General Rob-
ert E. Lees. After the hymn had been
sung Rev. DR.. NJ. d. Hoge read the
Psalm for the day, and Nearer, My
God, to Thee" was sung. DR.. Car
michael read the lesson. Art Thou
| Weary" was then sung and a it's close
| the veterans moved out with the cas-
ket. Mrs. Davis was prostrated and
| could not 1t once take her place, but
her daughter, Mrs. Hayes, whispered
words of comfort and besought her t.
be brave. 1t was several minutes be-
| fore the grief-stricken mother could
rise. The scene was deeply affecting
] and those who witnessed ii were great
ly moved Many an old soldier dress
ed in the gray. that means so much Il
him, wept freely as he witnessed the
grief Of the aged lady.
!, The crowd about the church wher
the casket was taken out and placed
in the hearse was of immense proper.
| uons. AS far as the eye could reach
up Franklin street, that thoroughfar.
: was crowded and Ninth street wa,
jan-1ed for a block above and below
the c1urch. Perfect order was main
: | tained, however, the marshal and tn.
police handling the crowd with little
friction.
The procession was nearly a mile In
: length, though the carriages were
driven two abreast. The streets wer,
| lined with people the entire distance
: | and along the drive in the cemetery
| leading to the grave, a distance of
| half mile, and all about the grave IL
self were hundreds and thousands o.
people Of all classes and conditions
? | Company B, Second regiment, unde
: Captain Russell. was detailed as
I | guard TO the approaches to the Davis
| square and prevented the crowding o
! the drives and kept the crowd from
| entering the section.
The sun was just sinking behind tn.
| hills when the head of the procession
came in sight along the road tha