El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-12-07
HERO IS BURIED
IN SNOW BY
LANTERNS
Body of Gen. Merritt Laid
to Rest in Storm-Had
Great Career.

West Point, n. Y, Dec THE body
of Maj. Gen Wesley Merritt. U. s. A.
retired 21St superintendent of the
United States military academy, was
buried here last night by lamplignt
with the military honors of his rank
His body was laid beside that of his
first wife in the military reservation
cemetery. The special car bringing the
body from Washington was delayed by
the storm and the hour. was so late it
was deemed best to make the cere-
monies as brief as the due dignities
would allow.
The fife and drum corps, followed
by the cadet corps, fell in at the front
on the appearance of the coffin The
filters breath froze on their instru-
ments as they shrrilled the slow meas
ures Of the dead march. Behind them
clanked the escorting battery. Then
came the coffin, draped in the colors,
followed by the pallbearers, mourners
and attending civilians.
AS the long procession moved through
the darkness, the flash of the minute
gun glared for an instant across the
shrouded fields and the dull jar of the
report sounded solemnly sSoss the riv-
er. Thirteen guns were fired.
Lanterns guided the procession to the
grave, and there, while the rsourners
stood bareheaded in tse snow, the cof-
stood bareheaded in the snow, the cof-
Cen Merritt was six times breveted
in the volunteer service and the regu-
lar army for gallantry and mcritorious
conduct on the field of battle during
the civil war.
He was mustered out in 1866 with
the rank Of major general, and took
rank in the regular army as lieutenant
colonel In 1876 as colone, he saw
service in the indian campaigns at Slim
Butte, S. D.. and at Indian Creek, Wyo.
From 1882 TO 1887 he was superintes,l-
ent at West Point, when he was pro-
NOTED to be brigadier general, u s. A.
In 1885 he was made a major general.
He commanded the first American
army in the Philippines. He was twice
married and widow survives
Cen Merritt graduated at West Point
in 1860, just in time to go in training
for the great events in which he was
so soon to engage He was assigned
to the second dragons and at once
attracted the attention Of Col Philip
st. George Cooke, with whom he served
as aide until the close of the peninsular
campaign. when Gen. Cooke left the
army in disgust
Merritt remained with SLOVENIAN and
took part in the Richmond raid in 1868,
in which he commanded several raid
ing parties. but his great chance came
at the battle of Beverley Ford. where,
as commander of a regiment, he led
brilliant charge against Stuart's cav
airy, and as a recognition, was made
a brigadier general
From then on Gen. MerrittS advance
ment was rapid. He was one of the
three officers appointed by Gen Grant
to carry out the terms of the Appoma-
tox treaty.
At the close of the war. Merritt was
rs years old. He had risen from cap
tain to major general ard commander
of 600 cavalry in two years.
Up and down the Shenandoah valley
and from the wilderness to the Appo-
matox, his name is written in the his
tory of every battle. 1t was at Win
chester, when his charge against
Breckenridge division drew the re-
mark from Sheridan, II claim nothing
for myself. my. boys; Merritt and Gus
ter did it all"
After the civil war, Gen. Merritt
served for many years on the frontier
in indian campaigns. In these he exc
cuted what has since become a historic
march from RawlinS to Milk Creek.
Colo, covering with his command 17J
miles in Sc hours without losing a man
or horse He was going to the relief
of Maj Thornburg, who was attacked
by Ute indians. His later service in the
capture of Manila is we'll known.