The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1917-02-22
Honors to
Washington
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part Of Washington the
~ great-the Father Of His
Country and the friend Of
man-was consigned to the tomb with
solemn honors and funeral pomp."
This is the opening paragraph in the
newspaper story Of the burial Of
George Washington as told by the W.
ster County Gazette, published at
Kingston, N. r., Jan. 4, 1900. Al
though the column rules Of the news
paper are inverted, the story appears
to have been only secondary in impor-
lance In the minds Of the editors, as it
Is published on the third page and
without any unusual display.
1t is dated at Georgetown, Dec. 20.
1700, and bears the modest, head
l"'Washington Entombed." Genuine
copies Of the paper are rare and valua-
gble, but it has been reprinted in fac
.sim1le many times.
!. The paper says:
"A multitude Of persons assembled
from miles around at Mount Vernon,
the choice abode and last residence of
the illustrious chief. There were the
oroves-the spacious avenues, the
beautiful and sublime scenes, the noble
mansion-but, alas, the august inhab.
t1tant was now no more! That great
soul WIS gone. His mortal part was
there indeed; but, ali, how affecting.
how awful the spectacle Of such worth
and greatness, thus, to mortal eyes.
I fallen fallen fallen!
I'm the long and lofty portico, where
, oft the hero walked in all his glory,
: now lay the shrouded corpse. The
! continuance, still composed and serene,
seemed to express the dignity of the
spirit which lately dwelled in the life
less furm. There those who paid the
Last sad honors to the benefactor of
his country took an impressive-a fare"
well-view.
ION the ornament at the head Of the
coffin was inscribed Surge ad Judi
cum about the middle of the coffin,
Gloria Deo,' and on the silver plate,
General George Washington, departed
this life on the l4th of December, 1899,
Act. g.
Between 3 and 4 o'clock the sound
: Of artillery from the vessel in the river
firing minute guns awoke afresh our
solemn sorrow-the corpse was remOv.
ed-a band of music with mournful
melody melted the soul into all the
tenderness of woe.
The procession was formed and
moved on in the following order with
arms reversed:
''Cavalry, infantry, guard, music and
clergy.
1.-THE generals horse with his saddle,
holster and pistols.
"Colonels Simms, Ramsey, Payne,
Gilpin, Marsteller and Little, pallbear-
ers; corpse, mourners, Masonic breth-
rem, citizens.
"When the procession had arrived at
the bottom Of the elevated lawn, on
the banks of the Potomac, where the
family vault Is placed, the cavalry
halted, the infantry marched toward
the mount and formed their lines, the
clergy, the Masonic brethren and the
citizens descended to the vault, and
the funeral service of the church was
performed.
1.-The firing was repeated from the
vessel in the river and the sounds ech-
,oed from the woods and hills around.
t'.Three general discharges by the in
9fantry, the cavalry and eleven pieces
of artillery, which lined the banks Of
the Potomac back of the vault, paid
the last tribute to the entombed COM
smander In chief of the armies Of the
United States ana to the departed hero.
The sun was now setting. Alas,
tho son Of glory was set forever! No.
the name; Of Washington, the Ameri-
can president and general, will triumph
over death! The unclouded brightness
.of his glory will illuminate the future
sages!'
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