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
Elaborate preparations had been made at St. Louis for a military
funeral befitting the great soldier whose dust was to be returned to
the dust from which it came. Two hours after the arrival of the train
the procession was formed, under the lead of General Wesley Merritt,
and it solemnly wound its way through the city which for many years
was Sherman's favorite home, to Calvary Cemetery. The first division
consisted of detachments of the Regular Army, escorting the casket,
which was borne on a caisson drawn by four black horses and covered
with the stars and stripes. Ransom Post, No. 131, Department of
Missouri, G. A. R., acted as the immediate guard of honor. Following
closely were the members of the President's Cabinet and the committees
from the two houses of Congress. The second division was made up of the
Loyal Legion and the Society of the Army of the Tennessee. In it were
ex-President Hayes, Judge Gresham and General Lew Wallace. The third
division was composed of Posts of the Grand Army of the Republic and
Sons of Veterans. In the fourth division were militia regiments from
various States and many civil officials. Civic societies made up the
fifth division, and various city delegations and the general public the
sixth and last division.
As the long procession wound its way up the slope to Calvary Cemetery
it presented a view of solemn but inspiring splendor. The arms of the
troops flashed in the sun-light, a multitude of flags fluttered on the
breeze, and the subdued strains of funeral music made the air tremulous.
At last, six miles from the railroad station, the plot was reached
where were the graves of the wife and two children of the departed
hero. The flag covered casket was borne upon the shoulders of eight
sturdy soldiers to the open grave. Then came the command, "Present
Arms!" And every soldier stood motionless as a graven statue. Then the
Rev. Thomas E. Sherman, clad in slight vestments, stepped forward and
began the service for the dead over his father's dust, standing, as he
did so, in the shadow of his mother's monument. He repeated the words
of the Litany, translating prayer and scripture into English, in a
clear, manly voice, and offered a touching extemporaneous prayer. After
the last solemn words a company of troops stepped forward. Three times
were given the commands, "Load!" "Ready!" "Aim!" "Fire!" and three
times the rifles spoke their loud farewell salute. Then the artillery
posted near by thundered forth their echoing responses. When the last
reverberations died away a solitary trumpeter stepped forward to the
foot of the soldier's grave and sounded "Taps."
Thus ended the last impressive scene.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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