Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 February 1891 — HIS FUNERAL MARCH: [ARTICLE]

HIS FUNERAL MARCH:

Bn»n ta the Bemnlni at G*n. Bhsrw Laying Him Dowa Rast. I 1 New York paid its final tribute to the hte Gen. Sherman on the 19th. About 12:25 o'clock the caisson, draped in ilaok and drawn by four horses, was drawn up In front of the Sherman -.ouse. The horses were mounted by regulars, and an army Officer was in charge. Behrndthecalsson was an orderly leading the black charger which bore the military trappings of the General. A black velvet covering almost hid the horse from view. But the boots and saddle were plainly conspicuous. The sergeant in charge was Sergeant Jordan, and the man whose honor it was to lead the black horse with the trappings was private A. T. Webb.of the Second Battery The services of prayer began promptly on the hour. At 11:55 Father Taylor left the General’s late residence and entered No. 77 Seventy-first street and summoned the boy choir of St Francis Xavier. The sen. vices were over at 12:30. The praters were said by Rev. Father Sherman. Close to the casket stood the other son, P. T. Sherman. In the front parlor were all the other members of the family and Secretary Blaine and wife and Mrs. Damrosch Father Sherman was assisted by Rev. Father Taylor and two others. Father Sherman conducting the simple services read from the scriptures the passage beginning: “I am the resurrection and the life." After this two selections were sung from the oratorio of Elijah. Father Sherman again read the scriptures and the Miserari from Mendelssohn was given. Prayer was then offered by the son, and tho concluding music was Piu Jesu. “O, Rest in the Lord,” was one of the selections. There were about 150 persons present at the services. The hour at which the funeral procession was to move from Seventy-first street was 2 o’clock, but long before that time spectators began to take up their places along the line of march. The decoration® along this route are not so numerous or elaborate as when General Grant was buried, but nevertheless they are strikingly handsome and in great profusion. Every house in the block where Genera: Sherman lived so long is tastefully decorated with draped flags. —Along Fiftyreventh street, from Broadway to Fifth avenue, nearly every house is draped, and up to hnrtri thn ivork of decoration continu ed. Eifth avenue, from the Plaza a 1 Central Park to tho arch at Washington Square, presents a bewildering array Of draped and half-masted flags. The club

house of the Seventh Regiment veterans was handsomely draped, and the Union League Club building presented an alabor ate display of drapery. The offices of the Adams Express Company throughout the c’ty are elaborately covered with mourning draperies and flags. The veterans formed in the boulevard on Seventy-first street. In front of the Sherman residence was the caisson for the remains, the military guard and the ens gineer corps. The Loyal Legion took up their position at the junction of Eighth avenue and Seventy-first street. On the cross streets between Eigtb and Ninth avenues, from Seventieth to Sixty-firs' l street, inclusive, were the G. A. R. posts The cadets formed on Sixtieth street and the soldiers of the National Guard bad positions on Eighth avenue, Broadway and Fifty-seventh strtet. The sidewalks were crowded with people. Ex-President Cleveland and Chauncy M. Depew arrived at the house together about 1:30 o'clock. Soon after came Governor Pattison, of Pennsylvania, and Ma-jor-General Snowden, with their staffs, and following them were Governor Bulkely and staff and Lieutenant-Governor Jones. Ex-President Hayes arrived, accompanied by Joseph H. Choate. The Senate committee arrived in a body, wearing the usual signs of mourning, and afte.them came the larger committee of th j House. It was close on to 2 o’clock when president Harrison with Lieutenant Ernst, his aide-de-camp, reached the house.

Fallowing were the remaining members of the Cabinet The first move toward he formation of the procession was 1:58, when General Howard came out on the front steps of the residence, and ordered the caisson which had been withdrawn to c-imeup. At that instant a troop of the Sixth cavalry formed to the left of the house in the middle of the street. The caisson came up in front of the house at exactly 2 o'clock and Generals Howard, Slocum, Johnson and other military dignitaries formed two lines on the walk and made a passage way to the caisson. As he pall-hearers left the house, an army band, out toward Central Park, began playing a funeral march. Six lieutenants, under the command of Lieut. Rodman appeared in the doorway, bearing on their shoulders the casket of the General. Slowly they bore their burden to the awaiting funeral carriage. All heads were then bared and silence reigned from one end of the street to the other.

Thi. was at 2:05. Atnarching order was given and the caisson moved up toward Eighteenth atreet. The private carriage of General Butterfield was then driven to the door and General Schofield, Howa-d and Slocum entered. The pall-bearers were then seated in their respective carriages in quick succession. When the coaches containing the pall-bearers bad been driven away from the door, Lafays •tte Post marched up to the caisson, onehalf of the Command taking a position on one side of the caisson, and the balance on 'theotherside.Thehead of the column was then moved up to make room for the carriages for the family and invited officials and friends. The route from Seventy-fifth street to tte Desbr'sses-street ferry was crowded with spectators, the male portion of whom, in almost every instance, bared their heads as the caisson with its escort passed by. All the ships in the riyer had their colors at half-mast. When the Jersey side was reached the remains were receiv ed by delegations from the Grand Army posts, and escorted to a special train in waiting. The departure was made shortly after three, o’clock. The funeral procession reached the ferry hou »e >t 4:57 o'clock. There was in waiting tbo.e a few of the California pioneers of Tenltorial days. Tho procession did

Mtaceeaspaay the remains out of the dty. Joseph H. Cteoate joined then! in their ooach after taking leave es ex-President Hayes, and the three were driven down Weststreet just as the ferry boat’s fastenings were cast off. At 5:42 o'clock the ferry boat started across the river, the masts carry ing flags at ha f mast and the ferry bells tolling. The outside of the boat had been painted black. The trip across occupied ten minutes. The special train which takes- the re mains to St Louis was drawn upon the no th side of the depot. It consisted of eight.cars, all heavily draped. The first was a composite car, and was intended solely for the conveyance of the remains. Next were the sleeping cars Liverpool and Danville. Then the dining car, No. 704. The sleeping cars Obyo and Cadi came next then President Roberts’s private car, which was for the use of the family of the dead General, and, last, Vice-pres dent Thomson’s private car, for the useof Presdent Harrison and the members of the Cabinet. All of the cars were drapedin mourning. The interior of the composite car was entirely covered with black cloth, and on the floor was a handsome carpet. In the center stood a catafalque, on which the casket, covered with a silk flag, was placed and rested. By the side of the casket, on a stand, was placed the saddle, bridle and other riding equipments of the dead soldier. At Mantua the train entered the main line of the Pennsylvania railroad and proceeded west as the first section of the Western express. The train did not enter the depot at Philadelphia, but went out un the “Y,” stopping only long enough to change engines. The funeral train was viewed by thirty' thousand people as it passed through Pitts burg at 7:20 Friday morning. All the Grand Army post turned out and presented and rest arms as the train passed. Minute guns were fired and all flags were half mast, while every bell in the city tolled a requiem. The funeral was a military one in every detail. The casket was placed lengthwise on the caisson and strapped in place. On it were placed the hat and sword of him who lay inside. The delivery of the remains to the St. Louis body guard relieved the six sergeants, who had accompanied it from New York, of all further care. When the fastening of tie casket was finished Col. Townsend gave the order to march, and the Twelfth Infantry wheeled into line and marched up Eleventh street to the corner of Clark street. Here they halted. The open carriage with the floral pieces followed directly . behind. Then the order was given by Lieutenant Wilson, and the caisson, with its sacred burden, moved slowly up E eventh street to a place next thecarriage containing the flowers. On each side-of the caission walked the four military body bearers. Directly the caission started the four hundred members of Ransom Post, who made up the guard of honor, marched up in two columns, one going to one side and the other on the opposite side of the caisson. The saddle horse bearing the riding equip, ments of General Sherman was led just behind the caisson and between the column o f Ransoms Post. Hundreds of thousands of spectation paid respect to the dead soldier as the long procession passed by, carrying tho remains to thecemeterv.

When the services began at the grave the battallion of infantry stood at presen arms facing the little group about the grave. In the midst of the services a hoarse, low voice gave the command: “Carry arms," “Order arms,” in quick succession, and the sharp click of the musket barrel and the ring of the butt as it struck the graveled road gave singularly impressive accentuation to the solemn words of the young priest. In the mids of the service the supports were removed from the casket and it was lowered into the big bra-s bound oaken box placed just above the grave to receive it. The service was the full service of the Catholic Church for the burial of a layifian. Father Sherman was assisted by two acolytes. He concluded with the invocation: “May his soul and the souls of all. the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost Amen."

As the last words were being uttered, the bearers removed from the cover of the casket the beautiful flag with which it was draped when it left New York, and covered the box in which it rested. Six of the undertaker’s assistants seized the straps, removed the supports from the oaken case, and quickly lowered it into the open grave. Then two of them sprang to the cop of the pile of earth, which stood at the side of the grave, while the other, attacked it from the bottom, and with long handled spades they quickly filled in t io earth above the coffin. Father Sherman had retired to remove his vestments. Returning, he placed his arm about his older sister, who was much overcome by her grief, and whispered words of comfort and encouragement to her. The members of the family stood by the grave until It' had been filled completely. Then ex-President Hayes and Gen. Schofield came over to Mr. Fitch and young Mr. Sherman, and at their suggestion the family retired to the carriagss which stood in waiting for them. “Clear that space beyond the grave!’ cried General Forsythe. The crowd cleared a space Just beyond the grave and directly opposite the line of infantry. Quick and sharp came the commands, as quickly obeyed! ‘ Loadl” “Fire by battalion: ready!” “Aim!’ “Fire!" There was a rattle of musketry, and as a a cloud of smoke rolled over the new-mad. grave again the commaad came: “Load!" Another volley was fired, and another. Sharp on the echoes of the last came the heavy explosion of eannon at a distance. A trippie cannon salute was fired. I Then a solitary bugler mounted the little mound, and standing at the foot of th< grave blew A mournful, solemn call: "Taps'.!’ “Lights out!" As the final note died slowly away the mourners turned their faces from the grave. The crowd began quickly to disperse A guard of infantry—six menwas detailed to watch toe grave, and then order- were given to tho troops to take up the march to the quarters. * Thus was la’d to rett by the side of his wife and his two sons, one of whom washis “soldier boy," Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman.