Albuquerque morning journal., 1910-12-07
MILITARY RITES At
GRAVE OF NOTED
WARRIOR
General Wesley Merritt Laid to
Rest in Cemetery Of West
Point Academy Funeral
Held BY Lamp Light

tBy Morning journal Special Leased Wirel
West Point. y y. Dec MhJoi
General Wesley Merritt. q $. a" re-
tired, twenly-frst superintendent OF
the Lnitcd states Military academy
Was buried here tonight by lampll&h'
with the military honors OF his RANK
His body was laid beside that ol ms
first wiYe IN the military rcser-
walton cemetery. There was no ser
vice I'm tho chapel Of the academy ms
had been planned The special car
bringing the hcdv from Washington
was DELAYED by the storm and the
hour vas SO late il was deemed best
% make the ceremonies as briel rs
the due dignities would allow. orr
GERS who have attended every mill
tary funeral within the last thirty
yars could recall no other held bE
lamplight.
Az the regulations provide Tho
fife and drum corps, followed by the
cadet corps, assembled in accordance
with special order issued by the sec
-etary OF war, fell in at the front on
mo oppearancc Of tho coffin. The
.ffer's breath froze on their instrn-
ments as they shrilled the slow
measures Of the dead march. be-
hind them clanked the escorting bat
terry. Then came the coffin dfaped
in the colors, followed by the pail
bears. mourncrs and attending CIVIL
tang
As the long procession moved
through the darkness the flash oI
the minute gun glared for IN instant
across the shrouded fields and dull
Jar of the report sounded solenlliiS
across the river. Thirteen guns were
iircd
Lanterns guided the procession to
the grave. and there while the mourn
ers stood bareheaded in the snow,
the coffin was lowered into it's rest
inc pIace. the words of the burial ser
vice we're spoken three crashing vol
Ieys echoed across the river; the
h,Igle sounded taps. and again the
minute guns took up their count.
He was twice married, ana a widow
survives.
Another Of the great figures OF the
cNil war disappeared with Major Gen-
rral Merritt. General Merritt grad
luated at west Point in 1869, 1ust III
time TO 60 in training for the great
events in which he was soon to en-
gaze. He was assigned to the seconu
dragons and at once attracted the
attention of Colonel Philip st. George
! Cooke. with whom he served as aide
I until the close OF the peninsular cam
naign when General Cooke left the
army in disgust
Merritt remained with Stoneman
land took part in the Richmond rnld
! of 1863 in which he commanded 'seN-
oral raiding parties, but his great
chance came at the battle OF HeVetlN
Ford, where as commander of fegi
ment. he led Il brilliant charge against
SNart's cavalry and as a recognition
was made brigadier general
From then General Merritt's adj
vancement was rapid, proceeding
lauicklv from command of brigade to
a division and finally succeeding Sh1r
idan in command OF the cavalry corps
! in the Appomatox cam paign. He was
one of the three officers appointed bN
General Grant TO carry out the terms
of the AppomatoX treaty
At the close of the war, Merritt was
/ IS Years Old He had risen from cap
ltain To major general and commander
| Of 10000 cavalry in two years H'
! fought brilliantly on many fields
4 IN and down the shenandoah val
Ilev and from the wilderness to the APP
nomatoN, his name is written in tht
| history of every battle II was a
Winchester, when his charge against
| lrockenridge's division drew the re-
mark from sheridan:
/ III claim nothing for myself, my
BOYS. Merritt and Custer did il all"
| After the civil war, General Merritt
served for many years on the ifohuei
/ ln Indian campaigns. In these he eX
! c,utod what has since become a his
toric march from Rawlins to MiI
! creek. colo. covering with his com
lnapd no miles in sixty six hours
| without losing a man or horse HI
was going to the relief of Major
lThornburg. who was attacked bv Ute
Indians. His later service in the cap
lmrc of Manila Is well known.
In days Of action General Merritt
was the very embodiment of force
His faculties were sharpened and his
vicw was cleared ON the battlefield
His decisions were given with the rap
idity of thought
no his troops he was always ;
| leader. who commanded confidence by
| his appearance, and his perfect self
control. while his constant watchfui-
ness and care inspired a devotion that