The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-04-07
THEY DIED FOR FREEDOM
AND THE NATION DELIGHTS TO
DO THEM HONOR.
THE PRESIDENT AND HIS CABINET THERE
And Other High Dignitaries of The Government
and Officers of the Navy. Together
With Vast Cor purse, Ga hered
About the Graves.

About the Graves.
Washington. April with full hon
ors of war, upon the crest of the south
ern slope of Arlington cemetery this
afternoon, the Nation, represented by
President Mckinley, his Cabinet and
other high dignitaries of the Government.
the commanding generai Of the army
and other distinguished officers, al! the
regular and militia organizations of the
District and vast ConcourSe ot 5000
people, paid the last trlEut., of 'honor
and resp ct to the bodies Of ;i36 officers
and men who gave their lives on distant
battleheldS for their country during the
Slnnish-American war and who were
to-day mustered into the silent army that
sleeps i'll the last biyouac of the brave
The spot selected is in the new aldi-
tion to the cemetery looking out. upon
the broad sweeping Potomac. In lhis
burial lot, which covered two acres sn
extent, in parallel rows, the wooden
boxes containing the baskets were ranged
and separated by great mounds Of earth.
Al $50 the Presidential party, which
had been caught in Il jam at the Poto-
mac bridge from which il required Il
dozen mounted police To cytricate them,
reached the enclosure. They were fol-
lowed by General Miles and his staff,
the military attaches of the British and
German Embassies, all mounted and the
military escort. As they arrived the
solemn strains Of the Dead March in
Saa! silenced the vast assembIage. and
with heads barred the crowd stood at .he
grave side while the Presidential party
advanced and the military dispositions
were made. The military was under
the command of Colonel Francis l..
Guenther and consisted Of the District
National Guard the ignt battery with
two Hotchkiss guns. Il battalion Of naval
militia and the regular roops from the
arsenal at Fort NJ yer.
The President accompanied by Secre-
tary Gage. Secretary Long, Postmaster
General Smith, Secretaries Hay, Hitch
cock and Wilson. Assistant Secretary
Taylor. General COrbin, General ,'ohn
Nj. Wilson and Colonel Bingham. came
forward with uncovered head and took
his place in the open space facing the
graves. lie was followed by General
Miles and his staff III full uniform and
other distinguished guests Including some
Of the representatives Of foreign coun-
tries Just as the President arrived Il
pathetic incident occurred. when aged
Mr.. and Mrs ODowd pressed through
the lines and placed a bunch of roses
on the casket of taelr son, John O'Dowd
of the Seventh infantry. The parents
of Lieutenant Wood also came forward
and deposited a beautiful wreath of
flowers and the sword of that gallant
officer upon his casket. Immediately
the band broke out in the sweet strains
of Nearer My God to Thee" and Post
Chaplain G. w treeland of Fort
Monroe, in the ecclesiastical robes of
his office, with Rev. Father Mct;ee, of
st. patrick's church. followed 0y three
purple gowned dcolytcs. advanced 10 the
graves and the funeral services began.
They were very simple but very impres-
sive
Rev. Freeland read the military COM
initial service of the Episcopl lcburch,
beginning with Man that is born of
woman" and concluding with the prom
Use of heaven contained in the words: ~
am the Resurrection and the Life As
he pronounced the words 'Du>t 10 dust,
earth to earth" the soldiers ut the side
of each grave crumb!ed q clod OF earth
upon each casker The vast concoursA
barred their heads to the solemn words
and scene. and thousands joined in the
Lords prayer. Rev. Father McGee
then consecrated with the churchly
power. invested in him the earth into
which the bodies of the Catholic sol
diers were placed. Meantime from Fort
Meyer, boomingdown the wind. came
the dull crack of Il gun every half hour.
and the national ensigns on the StafFs
there and at the Lee Mansion were run
down to half mast.
As soon as the religious services had
been concluded fianking detachments Of
the Fourth and Fifth artillery fred
three ear-smashing. soul-uplifting vol
leys, and in the solemn hush that fol-
lowed the salute the bugle sounded
Taps" The last religious and military
rites to the dead heroes were over and
the Presidential party and the military
departed. leaving the work of actual IN
terment to follow. As each of the
caskets weighs almost live hundred
pounds and requires eight mca TO handle
it will be- two or three days before all
the bodies are in their graves.
bal;nyal NV tho ttornpy