The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-12-14
BURIAL Of COYLE
A DRAMATIC SCENE
Last Days Of the War Described
by q Petersburg Lady.
THE FEDERAL ARMY ENTERS
At that Moment the Rev. Churchill Glib
son, Well Known and Beloved, Was
Burylng Young Confederate
Solder.
Especial Dispatch to The Timcs.)

Il
f. Morrison. Of Petersburg, telling OF the
last DAYS of the Confederate army in this
CITY and describing the burial scenes at
the grave of Frank E. Coyle. After re-
viewing the conditions that existed in Pc
telsburg on the days OF the surrender the
writer gives the following account Oh the
burial of Coyle:
Mr.. w. E. Morrison. my husband, and
the Rev. Churchill Gibson. rector OF
Grace Church, Petersburg. were the prin-
cipal alticipants in the burial OF Pr-
vate Frank e. Coyle. \ band of weep
ing women, OF which was one ooned
| on from a north window on Perry Street.
commanding a full view OF the Second
Presbyterian Church, where this SAD scene
was being enacted.
",The morning Of the Sd of April 1865,
broke clear and fair, and mild as carly
June The long warm rains OF March
and the mild winter had forced every
spring flower into blossom The land
wa:I a flush of early roses. The pink
ard white mu!tifloras and the delicate ouff
Of the dainty Lady Banllias shed their
fragrance on the ambient air. and mingled
in exquisite colol an! perfume. "a
| rure seemed as if in mockery OF our wee,
to have put on her loyeliest dress to
| meet the conQuering foe.
~ was with heavy heart and grave
furebodings that we looked out on the
| vain regret as we thought of our brave
BOYS in gray to whom we had said fare
We'll at Midnight.
CAS- they folded their tents like the Arab
| Ard silently stole away.
THE LAST NIGHT
ooh, the silence. the dead stiffness OF
tie last night of that army at Peters
tu1E, The darkness and the hush wrapp-
ed US as . PAL. tor e:even IL ,nths l1ae
air had been filled with the noise of bat
tie. The trlmpets sounded and the
| knights with lance IN rest rushed togeth-
CT and the soil trembled.
THE days Numbered and the nights
were like the days. Cannon glared ana
cared Musketry ratified and rnotar bombs
arose, described their stery eugscs Is
floclls of flame birds. burst and rained
their iron fragments ia the ternches and
upon the beieaguered I:ity. The stiffness
that settled down upon us after this was
appalling. With every light e>Ettngilshed,
Petersburg was indeed The City Of Awful
, Night on that eventful day OF pr!1. And,
I'VE were left by the rctreatius army
with only aged nca muster free, and dis
AIDED soldiers to protect city full OF
helpless women and children against the
probably lepredatioas and posslo.e ii1st;tia
Vi al invading and victorious army.
we are staying at the house OF Cap
of the army Of Northern Virginia, hay
ing been shelled out of our home at IN
diana. just outside of the corporation on
the day before General a. p. HITS head
quarters were in the grove in my front
yard, as my residence on Marshall Street
(ouu of which we had been shelled on
tune 18th, the year befoTeJ, was taken
possession of on Sunday by the Federal
provost marshal. So we gladly acceded TO
his request to take his house on Perry
Street also pledging ourselves to protect
HIS wife and sister-in-law, now Mrs. Villa
Tonga of New York, ana four young lady
guests, this making. wiEA ne. sever Il"
less and terrified women. So on Sunday
night we moved in with one trunk rep
resenting our sole possessions.
BURIAL OF COELE.
Earl on the morning of the Cd the
Few. Churchill Z. Gibson, rector of Grace
Church. the father OF Bishop Gibson, Of
Sil sinia Ga consccrated man whose holy
living and dying euu2Iieu. nay exceile-.-
that of Jeremy Taylor, came over TO ask
my husbands aid in the burial of o Con
federate soldier he had discovered in the
e:trly dawn p-opped UP against the wall
OF the Second Presbyterian Church. just
opposite his residence.
~ picard IVES attached TO his breast
on which was written Frank E. Coyle,
Third Company OF Washington Artillery
killed at the front on Sunday. Some kind
friend will please bury this man" With
The grim. stern viSage, with which he
fell with his face 10 the foe this dead
Confederate sat stiff and stark against
the wall OF the church, his blanket rolled
baldrc-wise across his chest. his hands
clasped across it. Brought on his Gals
son, by his sorrowing brothers in arms
thus far. with this mute but eloquent ap-
peal affixed to his breast, he sat a grue-
;orne spectacle-the sole brave defender
eft to meet the advancing foe MI. Nor
,.ison secured the aid Of an old coIoreG
man Jack Hill, {; slave of Mrs. Julia
Meade who also lived near the church,
who offered his assistance, and with WI
lam II. TapDey. neighAor, who also
volunteered to help. began the solemn
task OF Digging, the grave in the church
ward. MI Gibson! assisting also with his
own hands. By the tine they had com
oleted the work the whole of Grants
grand army was marching up Washing
ton Street in full pursuit of Lee and his
handful Of veterans.
with a rustic Of proud banner folds
and peal of stormy drums
they advanced by divisions by corps. by
hrigades. thousand upon thousands Of
men in blue.
THE Solemn TASK.
he tramp OF armed men. attired in all
he pomp and panoply of war attracted
wen a temporary notice from these men.
busy over that solemn task. Just as
Mr. Gibson. with his; sweet sonorols
voice. uttered these impressive words OF
The Episcopal service. For as much as
1t hath pleased Almighty God in His
wise Providence to take out cf this world
.he soul of our deceased BROTHER and
they lifted the body, wrapped In its |
blanket, waiting for the words We,
therefore,, commit his body to the earth
, Yankee soldier, either a sutier or camp |
follower, evidently q German from his
accent. lornged I'D to the fence with a
short black pipe in his mouth and q red |
cap on his head. and asked in drawing
contemptuous tones. Putting jennie In
an ice-house eh?'
MIR Gibson calmly went on with the
service. taking no notice Of the interrupt
ton, and as Ashes TO ashes dust to |
dust fell from his lips. a Federal on |
Ger of high rank stepped on the sidewalk.