Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 August 1885 — A SOLEMN PROGRESS. [ARTICLE]

A SOLEMN PROGRESS.

The Remains of General Grant Trams* 1 ferred from Albany to the Metropolis. Imposing Civic and Military Procassion to the New York City Hall The remains of Gen. Grant lay in state at tbe Capitol building tn Albany from 4:30 p. m. of Tuesday until 10:40 Wednesday morning, the sth inst, during which time they were viewed by 77,200 people. At noon of Wednesday the funeral train started for New York, Gen. Hancock and Gov. Hill, with their starts, and committees representing the State Legislature and the city of Nevy York, being on board. Great crowds were gathered at all the stations along the rout?, and when the metropolis was reached avast multitude was wait n-r. The following incidents of the journey and arrival at New York we clean from the coj.iocß reports telegraphed West: At the Executive Mansion in Albany the sons of Gen. Grant, with Drs. Douglas and Newman, breakfasted quietly with the Governor. The morning papers were a terward scanned in silence by the party, the voluminous details calling forth no comment from the sons except among themselves. The day had dawned bright, and from the country side farmers and their families had come in early to view the dead. Trains east and west added to the number of in the city, and the morning boats brought many more. At 10:30 o’clock this forenoon the Capitol doors were swung shut. The compact line of waiting visitors, which extended over a block, was shut off thus, and those who had entered were permitted to pass rapidly out, when the State street doors were closed. Slowly the fnneral car, drawn by six black horses with their mourning trappings, moved to the State street side of the Capitol. Gen. Hancock, mounted upon a black charger from West Point, and followed by his staff, approached the Capitol, as also did Gen. Farnsworth and staff. Eleven o’clock had passed, and it was half an hour later when the great doors ot the Capitol swung open on the State street side. The somber car was waiting at the foot of the steps in the street. Four men were inside the car, and assisted in lifting the remains to the black dais within the mounted catafalque. Then Colonel Black and Major Brown ranged their compalnies of regulars on either side of the car, the front being level with the heads of the horses. The Grand Army Kin.rd took positions, the blare of trumI>ets rang out, and the procession started at a measured p ee down State street, the various organizations falling in to form the procession —reaching Broadway amid the dull boom of cannon and the tolling and chiming of °1 ells In the steeples. The march through Broadway to Steuben street, and thence to the depot, was viewed by a dense throng. Guns boomed while the remains were being placed in the car Woodlawn, and the bells tolled s.owly. The committee from New York entered their- cars, Gen. Hancock and staff were aboard, the regulars were quartered, and the great train started. At the instant the train started a dirge came Up to the ears of all in the train from the band ot the Jackson Corps, that stood in line and saluted. Hundreds of persons standing nearest the tracks laid coins on the rails tohave.them flattened beneath the wheels of the train that carried Gen. Grant on bls last journey. On the roofs of the houses in the vicinity hundreds witnessed the start, and, as the black train -tumbled across the long br.dge of the Hudson, it was between two dense lines of people, who filled the foot-paths on either side. There was no clang of bell, no scream of whistle, only the dull rumble ot the wheels beneath the memorable train. Across the river were crowds of people. The shops aud stores and factories had closed their doors to business. All who work and those of leisure seemed to have come out. to stand with uncovered heads to witness a scene never again to be enacted. The long, sweeping curve was rounded, and the black train straightened out level with the Hud-ou on its way to the metropolis. Looking back from th: engine cab as the trailing train swept around this curve a. Greenbush the impressive effect was thrilling. L At every town and station along the rout. from Albany to the metropolis the people range “ themselves along the track, and with bared heads testified their respect to the memory of the illus-trous dead, as the funeral train swept by. A few minutes before 5 o’clock p. m. the train arrived at the Grand Central Depot. As soon as it halted all the passengers alighted and formed a long line on the raised footway beside the train. Facing it ahead, drawn up in the line, were the regular army soldiers-Com-_panyEoftheTwei,fthJ.ufantiry._im_dfir_Maj. Brown, and Company A of the Fifth Artilleryr under ' Capt. W. B Beck. The thirteen men of Grant Post, G. A. R., of Brooklyn, who have acted as the guard over the coffin since the Sunday after the General’s death, were the last to leave the train. They went to toe car that contained the coffin, lifted it out. anti put it on a new and handsome baggage-truck that had been brought to the side of the car for the purpose. The soldiers presented arms as the coffin came in sight,'the civilians removed their hats, the truck bearing the coffin was rolled to the front of the depot. and transferred to the funeral car, while a band played a solemn dirge. The funeral cortege marched in the following order: Battalion of Mounted Police. *r Maj. Gen. Hancock and staff;Lifiht Battery F, Mounted, from Fort Hamilton, Capt. W. F. Randolph Commanding. Company A of the 6th United States Artillery. The Fort Hamilton Military Band. A Battalion, Comprising Four Companies of the sth United States Artillery, on Foot. Two companies of marines and blue jackets, under Lieut. Commander W. W. Mead, j Two companies of sailors under Lieut. Emory. Mai. Gen. Alexander Shaler and staff. Second Battery, First Division, National Guard. Brig. Gen. Ward and staff. The First Brigade N. G. 8. N. Y., comprising the 9 th, 11th, 12th, and 22d regiments. The catafalco. The guard of honor, consisting of members of the U. S. Grant Post, of Brooklyn, the George G. Meade Post, of Philadelphia, and the Loyal Legion, of the United States. Brig Gen. Fitzgerald and staff. The Second Brigade N. G. 8. N. Y., comprising the 7th, Bth, 69th, and 71st regiments. The Mayor’s Committee of 101. \ AH along the line of march the people stood with uncovered heads, silently and reverently gazing at the purple-covered casket that contained the remains of the great soldier. It was an imposing pageant and one long to be remembered. When the head of the funeral cortege reached the eastern entrance to the City Hall plaza the line was reformed. 'I he Twentysecond Regiment, a fine body of men, splendidly uniformed, formed on either side of the entrance to the City Hall, and, forming a line from the steps to the catafalco, tbe marines and regulars were drawn up in a line facing the entrance. Again tbe command to present arms was giyen, and the bearers carried the coffin into the rotunda of the City Hall through a glittering wall of steel. Here it was deposited on a catafalco erected in the-Center of the rotunda. At 9:15 the central iron door was swung open to the public. The five thousand people who had been massed out-ide of the police lines on. tbe plaza were ranged in double file at the edge of the plaza opt d'site the gate, and marshaled across the plaza straight up the steps. ’ They passed through the gateway two at a time at the rate of 160 a minute. Each one who passed the ca tafalco bent over slightly to lock at the face bf the dead hero, and then hurried on. In the first five minutes 490 had passed, and a count ma :e during the first hour showed that s,B*i had passed the coffin. All sorts and conditions of people wire in the throng. Two Chinese laundrymen, wearing fluttering shirts -Of silk and embroidered Chinese slippers, stooped far down over the coffin and looked at the face of the General untii a Grand Army veteran caught their sleeves and. hurried them on. One of the Chinamen pressed his hamCkerchief to his eyes and went away with bowed head Barefooted newsboys, negroes, and.azed mep passed up quickly, and women and girls walked by in groups. Every man lifted his hat reverently as he entered the building. It is estimated that ;4,<i00 persons passed through ; the corridors of the City Hall and viewed the remains between 9 p m. and 1 a. m.