Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-11-11

ems for the valiant W
crosses and medals
tears of mourning mothers; comrades
high-hearted deeds of courage alone
him last glorious salute.
And for him, shattered, nam
France where his great sacrifice wa
long sleep that kings for such a to-
after all, there was little of sorrow
and the ordered movement of marti;
there was everywhere note that sr
hood Of The nation, the democracy
shoulder to shoulder about the tomb
all for the flag.
It was little more than broad day
light before the tramp of marching
men, the clatter of hoofs and the
grind of gun carriage wheels on the
great plaza before the capitol told
that the last parade for the dead was
forming. Up past the gray mass OF
the buildings, under trees where only
a yellowed leaf here and there ling
cred, the kahki tide Of a funeral es-
cort for a general Of the army roll
ed to its place.
AS the troops gathered for the
march to the grave, the first, Tar
throb of the minute guns at Fort
Meyer over the river broke the morn
ing silence. Through the hours that
followed the distant, dull note of sor-
row sounded in measured interval,
growing closer and closer, louder and
louder as the cortege wound its way
up to Arlington. The knell of the
guns, marked the way Of the funeral
train step by step and eliminated
in the three crashing salvos that sig
nailed the last soldier farewell.
From s 80 a. III. until far past noon
the distant booming wrote the story
of the the minutes with but one halt,
as the nation stood silent for two
minutes just after midday in honor
of the dead.
Scene In Rotunda.
Up in the rotunda Of the capitol
resting on the catafalque where Lin
coin, Grant, Garfield and McKin-
ley laid, the casket had stood amid
heaping piles of flowers with its silen
guard of honor, soldier, national
guardsman, a sailor and marine,
through the night at the four corners
of the bier. Then there began to
gather little group Of fellow SOL
diers, each wearing a hero's decora-
tions, to bear the casket to the wait
ing gun carriage. They were led
by Sergeant Samuel Woodfall, first
mentioned in Pershing's list of war
heroes and with him were Sergeants
Herry Taylor of the calvary, Thorn
as D. Saunders of the engineers,
Louis Razga of the Coast Artillery,
James w, Deli of the Field guns and
for the navy, Chief Torpedo Man
James Delaney and Chief Water Ten
der Charles Lee O'Connor and Ser
geant Ernest A. Janson Of the Ma
lines.
In the great rotunda the honorary
pail bearers also gathered to walk
beside the gun carriage up Pennsyl-
vania avenue. At their head was
Major General Harbord, executive as
sistant to General Pershing as chief
Of staff; himself former enlisted
man and glad to walk beside his hon
cred comrade rather than ride at the
head of the pageant. With him were
other major generals whose names
bring memories of the war. There
was Morton Edwards of New Eng
| lands 26th division there was
Shanks who ruled Hoboken while
the army was going lover there, "
there was Henoher, who led the 42nd
! to victory; and Bailey, Organ of
: New York's 9th and Richards of
| Pennsylvania. For the navy walked
Hugh Rodman, rear admiral and
commander of the battle fleet that
went over; Henry B. Wilson, former
chief of the Atlantic fleet, and
| Plunkett For the martens, was Ma
| jor General Neville.
Originally General Pershing while
he was still abroad, was named as
grand marshal of the military cere-
monies. He was to have ridden at
the head of the funeral escort, but
this program did not suit the former
! commander Of the American expe-
! ditionary forces and he too walked
behind the easket, going afoot all the