Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-04-07
HON0RS FOR DEAD HEROES
The Bodies Of 1856 Officers and Men
Who Gave up Their Lives

IN CUBA AND PORTO RICO LAID
TO REST IN THE NATIONAL
CEMETERY AT ARLINGTON.
THE PRESIDENT. HIS CABINET
AND REPRESENTATIVES, OF
THE ARMY GATHERED TO PAY
THE HONORS OF A NATION-A
SIMPLE, SHORT AND IMPRESS
SIVE SERVICE.
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 govern
ment, the commanding general of the
army and other distinguished officers,
all the regular and militia organiza-
tons of the District, and a vast con-
course of $4,000 people, paid the last
tender tribute of honor and respect to
the bodies of 1856 officers and men who
gave their lives on distant battlefields
for their country during the Spanish
American war, and who were to-day
mustered into the silent army that
sleeps in the last biyouac Of the brave.
The spot selected is in the new addi-
ton to the cemetery looking out upon
the broad sweeping Potomac and across
to where the glistening Washington
monument rears its dizzy shaft and
beyond to the classic outlines of the
capitol and the FURNISHED dome OF the
new library building. To the right
rise the ramparts of old Fort McPher-
son. TO the left countless graves of the
heroes of the civil war, sprinkled with
imposing monuments of distinguished
generals and to the rear the stately old
Lee mansion and Fort Myer
In this burial lot, which covered two
acres in extent, in parallel rows the
wooden boxes containing the baskets
were ranged, separated by great mounds
of earth. Over each box an American
flag was draped. There was no par
ticular order in the disposition of the
remains, though an exception was
made in the case of the officers. The
boxes containing the bodies OF Captain
Edgar Hubert, of the Eighth United
States infantry; Lieut.. l.. /. Barnett,
Ninth United States infantry; Lieut.
VIM. Wood. Twelfth United States in
fantry; Lieut.. r. S. Truman, Sixth
United States infantry, and Lieut..
Francis Creighton, United States vol
unteer signal corps, were placed at the
head of the line of graves Immediately
under the eye of the presidential party.
OF the others, fully seventy per cent
are identified About thirty per cent
are wholly unknown or known only by
the regiment to which they belonged.
About 2:30 the Presidential party.
which had been caught in a jam at the
Potomac bridge, from which it required
a dozen mounted police to extricats
them, reached the enclosure. They
were followed by Gen. Miles and his
staff, the military attaches of the Brit
ish and German embassies, all mounted
and the military escort. AS they ar"
rived the solemn strains OF the dead
march in Saul silenced the vast as
semblage, and with barred heads the
crowds stood at the grayeside while
the Presidential party advanced and
the military dispositions were made.
Just as the President and party ar
rived pathetic incident occurred when
aged Mr.. and Mrs. O'Dowd pressed
through the lines and placed bunch
Of roses on the casket of their son,
John ODowd of the Seventh infantry.
The parents of Lieut.. Wood also came
forward and deposited a beautiful
wreath Of flowers. The sword OF that
gallant officer was upon his casket
Immediately the band broke out in tho
sweet strains Of Nearer, My God, to
Thee" and Post Chaplain G.. w. Free
land, of Fort Monroe, in the ecclesias-
teal robes of his Office. with Rev.
Father MCGEE, of st. Patrick's Church,
followed by three purple-gowned ac-
olytes, advanced to the graves and the
funeral services began. They wers
very simple, but very impressive. Rev.
FreeIand read the military cOmmittal
service Of the Episcopal Church. The
vast concourse barred their heads "a
the solemn words and scene and thous
sands Joined in the Lords Prayer. The
Rev. Father Niece then consecrated
with the churehly power invested in
him, the earth into which the bodies
Of the Catholic soldiers were placed.
Meantime from Fort Myer, booming
down the wind. came the dull crack of
pun every half hour and the ma
tional ensigns on the STATS there and
at the Lee mansion were run down
to half mast. As soon as the religious
services had been concluded. fanking
detachments Of the Fourth and Fifth
artillery fred three ear-smashing,
soll-uplifting volleys and in the SOL
emn hush that followed the salute the
bugle sounded TAPS" The last re-
ligious and military rites to the dead
heroes were over and the Presidential
party and military departed, leaving
the work OF actual interment 10 follow.
AS each of the caskets weighed almost
500 pounds and required eight men 10
handle it. ii will be two or three days
before all the bodies are in their