Life of Wm. Tecumseh Sherman.: Late Retired General. U. S. A.Johnson, Willis Fletcher
History
Life of Wm. Tecumseh Sherman.: Late Retired General. U. S. A.
Johnson, Willis Fletcher
Sherman, William T. (William Tecumseh), 1820-1891
"I'm unable to say," replied the pilot, adding that, he only knew of
General Sherman's sickness, as he had been out at sea for some days.
When the mail steamer came alongside, Mr. Sherman repeated his anxious
inquiry. The answer came back, "General Sherman's funeral takes place
to-morrow."
[Illustration: ARMY AND CORP COMMANDERS OF THE ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE.
Sherman. Logan. Grant. Dodge. Blair. McPherson. Howard.
From painting by J. E. Taylor.]
The day before the funeral the house was opened for a few hours,
and the public were allowed to enter and view the face of the dead.
Thousands availed themselves of the privilege. "It was an interesting
crowd of people. There were white-haired veterans of the war; there
were people in the clothing of luxury, people clad like beggars, and
mothers with babies in their arms leading children by the hand. There
were schoolboys come to look at the man about whom their histories tell
them, come to see if the face they had seen in the pictures was indeed
the face of the great General. There were young girls there, and young
men also. It was a crowd representative of the whole American people.
Hebrews came out of the depths of the east side and Germans came from
Hoboken. All passed in review before the man who will review armies no
more. Their uncovered heads were bowed. Some of the very old women who
had given their sons to this leader for their country's sake sobbed as
they passed on."
It was on a glorious winter day, February 19, that the dust of the
great soldier was carried from his former home to make the journey
to its final resting place at St. Louis. As the funeral procession
started, bells of the City were tolled; buildings everywhere displayed
tokens of honor and signs of mourning; the streets were thronged with
sympathetic spectators; and thirty thousand men marched with measured
tread behind the coffin that contained the earthly remains of their
loved and honored leader. Conspicuous in the company were General
Schofield, the head of the army; General Howard and General Slocum,
Sherman's lieutenants on the march through Georgia; General Corse,
of Kenesaw fame; General Johnston, Sherman's old antagonist; and
Professor Kendrick, one of those who taught Sherman the art of war. The
President, the Vice-President, the two living ex-Presidents, and the
members of the Cabinet were also in the company.
There was a large contingent from the regular army, with General
Howard in command. Then came the Military Order of the Loyal Legion;
long columns of the Grand Army of the Republic; West Point Cadets;
the Sons of Veterans; and delegations from various clubs, commercial
organizations, and the municipal government.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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