The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-02-10
THOUSANDS WERE THERE
AND THE CEREMONIES WERE
GRAND AND IMPRESSIVE.
SERVICES AT CHURCH or THE COVENANT
The President, the Cabinet, Members Of All
the Departments, the Diplomatic Corps,
Distinguished Military Officers and
0tharc Woro in Attendance
Others Were in Attendance.


Washington. Feb. 9.-Major General
Henry W. Lawton was buried today IN
the National cemetery at Arlington. 1t
was Il nations tribute to a rational hero,
and the sorrow of whole people was eX-
pressed when America added the chaplet
of cypress to the brow that so long had
worn the laurel. The burial service be-
nsath the leafless trees at Arlington
was preceded by services in the Church
of the Covenant on Connecticut avenue,
at which every department of the Gov
ernment was represented including the
president. Congress, the Supreme court,
the ranking officers of the army and
navy within reach of Washington. Law
tons old comrades of the line and staff,
the Diplomatic Corps in all its brilliance
of uniform and decoration and as many
citizens of all degrees as were fortunate
enough to find standing room within the
walls. But the crowd within was insig-
nifcant compared with the thousands
who braved the lowering winter day, for
glimpse of the tlag-drapPd caisson with
its military escort as il passed through
the streets Hundreds more made the
toilsome pilgrimage to Arlington 10 hear
the last words pronounced above the open
grave where President, Cabinet and the
General Commanding the Army stood
with bowed heads till the last yolley had
been fired and the bugle sounded taps.
1t was the homecoming of hero
For seven weeks. ever since the fatal
news from San Mateo had been flashed
around the width of the world the coun-
Try had waited to pay its best tribute to
the dead
AN IDEAL SOLD:lER.
I.awton, to the great bulk of Americans
had been the incarnation of the Amer
can soldier. He had made his mark ii
the Civil War from the Mississippi to
the sea and in the interval of potential
peace it was he who had beaten at his
own game Geronimo. the greatest master
of desert craft and mountain fighting
that the West had ever known, and who
i'm the new problems of a trOpic war haC
proved the most daring and resOurcefu
of all the generals in the field. 1T wa:
in tribute to these qualities that the Law
aon Fund had in a few weeks been swell
cd past all the expectations of ITS orr
ginatOrS, for being a soldier FIRST ana
only. ne had left to those who loved him
no heritage save his sword and spot
less name.
For day and a might the body of the
soldier lay in state in the Church of the
Covenant. So it lay this morning wlheI
the doors We're opened, troopers from h1>
old command with sabers drawn, keep
ing vigil at the head and feet Beneath
the soft lights of the altar rose Il tropll
jungle Of palms.and higher than the flag
slraped coffin rose banks of flowers, trib
utes from every quarter of the land. Al
his head hung in dim folds the dingy
battle flag from San Mateo, still on ITS
bamboo staff and supported by one OF
the men who was near him when he fell
From the ceiling hung the red, centeret
flag Of the Eighth corps under when ne
had won perpetual fame in two isiam
wars. About him as the shrill pipes OF
the organ trembled with the opening
anthem stood grouped his supeiOrs aht
his brother officers with Whom ana 1ol
whom his life work had been done Nloct
to the coffin sat President Mckinley and
on his right the Secretary of State. WITT
them were the Secretary of War, tht
ATTORNEY General. the Secretary of the
Navy. the Postmaster General, the Sec
retarv of the Treasury. the Secretary o!
the interior and the Secretary of Agri
culture. Close by were Mrs. Lawton
little Manley and the others of the family
and to the left General Miles, Genera
Merritt. Genel al Brooke, General Shafter
and their staff officers, all in uniforms ant
all Lawton's comrades. who att one time
or another had camped and fought with
him. 4
In the body of the church was a
scarcely less notable gathering, assistant
secretaries and heads of bureaus, the
military committees of the House and
Senate. diplomats, the Orientals in their