The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-31
FUNERALS AT SMELLING
TWO MEMBERS OF THE FIF-
TENTH BURIED YESTERDAY
Private Byhre Was Given the Rites
Usually Accorded to n Field Off
cer-Private WOId's Funeral Also
Took Place Yesterday-There
Was a Big "Sick Call" Due to
the Hot Weather.

The Second battalion, Fifteenth Min
nesota volunteers, will not soon forget
the sad ceremony which attended the
placing Of Peter Byhre under the sod
of Fort Smelling cemetery. He is the
second member of the Fifteenth to join
the host of the departed whose rest
ing place in the reservation grave yard
betokens that they died in the service
of their country, whether in peace or
in war
AT 500 a. m. Lieut.. Bennett with a
detail Of six men came into ST. Paul to
make final arrangements and to escort
the hearse to the fort. Between 10 and
IL a. m. the hearse was met at the west
end Of the Fort Smelling bridge by the
whole of the Second battalion, which
is composed of Companies G, l, G, and
f, under the command of Maj. Hand.
The coffin was transferred to the post
hearse-nothing less than an old Gals
son and field piece-which had been
sent by Capt. Gerlach, of the Third
infantry. The caiESon was drawn slow
ly between the ranks of men at "pre-
sent arms" 1t was draped with the
Stars and Stripes and the coffin was
covered with fiowers-the Offering of
Byhre's company.
OAHU LOOK the Iedu, playing q
mournful dirge. The caiSson followed.
and after that came the pail bearers
and firing squad. Col Leonhauser,
Adjt. Catlin and Capt. Turner, without
side arms and on foot, preceded the
battalion under Maj. Hand, who was
also On foot. The march was in slow
time, which was very trying to the
men. The sun was very hot and a.
number Of men dropped out along the
road.
AS the procession passed 1t the post
flag was hung at half-mast
About the open grave the battalion
was formed as three sides of a hollow
square. The body was lowered. Chap
lain Turner spoke a few appropriate
words to the men. He said that man
who died of disease contracted in
camp, as Byhre had done, died for his
country just as much as he who was
slain on the battlefield, and he was en-
titled to just as much honor. The fir
ing squad fired three volleys over the
grave as salute to the departed. At
ter that Bugler Hewitt blew the
mournful call of taps-"lights out
and the solemn service was at an end
Then in relief from the strain of the
last hour and more the battalion
marched at quick step back to their
quarters.
The men were all exhausted from
the long march in the broiling sun,
which they seemd to feel much more
than the longer one from Camp Ram
sey to Smelling.
The pallbearers were all personal
friends of the dead private They
were Guy Shellady, George Nelson, Ed
ward Rice, Stanley Kountz, Andrew E.
Hanson and Albert s. Norman The
firing squad was in command Of Ser
geant Elingson, and consisted Of James
Kelly, Thomas O'Hara, Richard Leet,
John B. Anderson, James E. Fish, An
drew Kolstead and Peter Foley.
The service was the same as that
provided for field officer, more elab-
crate than private is usually honored
with. but Col. Leonhauser was bound
to show that, although a man in the
FIFTEENTH might die without relatives
to take care of him, he would not be
forgotten by the regiment.
In the afternoon Lieut.. Bennett re-
celVed telegram from distant rela-
ton OF Byhre's in Boston, requesting
that the remains be Inferred at Fort
Smelling, so the lieutenant felt much