Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-05-11
A NATIONS
TRIBUTE TO
HEROES OF
VERA CRUZ

New York, May 10.-Nation and city
paid tribute in silence today to the II
men who gave their lives in the first
move made in the occupation of Vera
Cruz by the armed forces of the
United States. Bearing the bodies of
the dead bluejackets and marines, the
armored cruiser Montana, escorted by
the Presidential yacht Mayfiower, hav-
ing aboard Secretary of the Navy
Daniels, and conveyed by the super
Dreadnought Wyoming, steamed DIP
the harbor shortly before noon, drop
ping anchor off the Battery at 12.40
O'clock.
AS the funeral cortege moved slow
ly up the bay. the flags on the forts
in New York harbor on all sailing
craft, and on the great buildings along
the waterfront hung at half mast.
Along the piers and walks of the plaza
at the Battery, thousands of people
stood in silence. There was no noisy
salute from vessels or forts, no dem
onstration by the people ashore; an
attitude of silent mourning seemed to
hang over all.
The Wyoming, having left the
Brooklyn navy yard Saturday morning,
anchored off Ambrose light and await
ed the coming of the funeral ship. The
navay tug PoWhatan carrying repre-
sentatives of the press, left the Bat
terry at IL o'clock and met the funeral
cortege at lower quarantine in Am
brose channel at 11.30 A. NJ. The sun
shone brightly as the little tug steam
ed down the bay but just as the YES
sci swung around to fall in line astern
the Mayfiower a cloud obscured the
sun and for nearly 10 minutes the skies
overhead were leaden
AS the Powhatan swung around the
buoys between which the Wyoming and
Montana steamed the first view of the
collins containing the bodies of the ma
rines and bluejackets was obtained.
Draped with United States flags, they
rested on the starboard side of the boat
deck, where a guard of sailors paced to
and fro.
The cortege came up the bay with the
Wyoming leading, the Monta next, fol-
lowed by the Mayflower flying the flag
of the secretary of the navy. Behind
the Mayfiower were the naval tug Pow
hatan and the revenue cutter Manhattan.
As the vessels passed lower quarantine,
the clang of the bells on the buoys
sounded like the tolling of funeral bells.
At Forts Wadsworth and Hamilton, in
the Narrows, the garrisons could be
seen along the shore and the flags flew at
half mast. but as the army and navy
regulations forbid the firing of sa1utes
on Sunday not a sound could be heard
but the chugging of thee ngines and an
occasional note from the whistle of some
vessel signalling another
AS the eortege drew nearer to the city
many snlali craft came alongside to get
a close view of the funeral ship with its
fiag-draped caskets. Even rowboat VEN
tured far out into the harbor Off Gov
ernors island a cutter of the Brooklyn
naval militia swung round and for a
short distance ran alongside the big war
ships.
At 12.40 the big ships were opposite the
Battery and dropped anchor in the order
in which they had come up the bay. The
navy yard launch, having aboard Com
mandant Cleaves of the Brooklyn navy
yard and City Dock Commissioner r. A.
c. Smith, came along side the Mayf1ower
and the official visits between the secre-
tary of the navy and other officers in
command were exchanged.
Secretary Daniels remained aboard the
Mayflower during the afternoon and
evening and 1t was announced that he
would not come ashore until tomorrow
morning. The bodies will be brought
ashore shortly before s o'clock tomorrow
morning and placed upon caissons. The
funeral precision win move up Broadway
to the City hall for brief ceremony
there. and on across the Manhattan
bridge to the navy yard for the services.
President Wilson, who will deliver the
memorial address, is due to reach the
city from Washington at 715 O'Clock to-
morrow morning.