Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

horizon, the effect was solemn and impressive. It was the unanimous verdict of those who traveled all the journey with the train, that this, and the display at Richmond, was not exclled in taste and appropriateness by anything that had been witnessed. There was a solemn earnestness depicted on the countenance of the Indiana patriots, and the sentence seemed to be written as if in "burnished rows of steel," that though Lincoln had died, the republic should live.

Dublin, Ind., 4:30 a. m., Sunday, April 30. The platform and sides of the track were lined with people whose looks and actions bespoke their deep grief. A neat and beautiful arch, entwined with evergreens and mourning emblems, was erected for the train to pass under. The depot was artistically draped, and on the right was a large flag. In a conspicuous place there was a portrait of the martyred President entwined with evergreens and roses. Dublin is a town of about fifteen hundred inhabitants, and was the last station passed in Wayne county, which has been largely under Quaker influence from its first settlements, and, although you would see but little of the outward sign of that peculiar people, their principles are nowhere more decidedly felt than at this place. There has never been a whisky-shop in the town, and it is a remarkable coincidence that for many years the Republican ticket has been voted unanimously-not a single one on the other side. I well remember the amusement created at Richmond, in the same county, on the evening of the Presidential election, in 1864. As the reports came in by telegraph they were posted on an illuminated bulletin. Among the earliest was,

Dublin,

66

For Lincoln,

For McClellan,

269

Majority for Lincoln,

269

At Lewisville, Rayville, Knightstown, Charlottesville, Greenfield, Philadelphia and Cumberland, mourn

ing emblems and other demonstrations of sorrow were everywhere visible.

Indianapolis, seven o'clock, a. m., Sunday, April 30, 1865. The funeral cortege arrived at this hour with all that was mortal of Abraham Lincoln. The avenues leading to the depot were closely packed with people. The military organizations were in line from the depot to the State House. The corpse was taken in charge by a local guard of soldiers, and conveyed to a very large and magnificent hearse, prepared especially for the occasion. It was drawn by eight white horses, six of them having been attached to the carriage in which the President elect rode, on his way to Washington, four years before. By the time the procession was ready to move, rain commenced falling. The arrival of the train was announced by the firing of artillery and tolling of bells throughout the city, and this continued until the hearse arrived at the State House. The body was conveyed to the interior of the building, and soon after exposed to view.

The Sabbath school children were first admitted, and then ladies and citizens generally passed through the Capitol and viewed the remains. At many of the streets intended to be crossed by the procession were triple arches, adorned with evergreens and national flags. Great preparations had been made in draping the city in mourning. It included public buildings, business houses and private residences of all classes. The threatening rain deterred many from ornamenting their buildings who would otherwise have done so, and the torrents of water sadly marred what had been done.

The rain prevented many of the organizations from turning out that had provided themselves with banners bearing appropriate inscriptions. The colored Masons, in their appropriate clothing, and colored citizens generally turned out in procession and visited the remains in a body. At the head of their procession they carried the Emancipation Proclamation. At intervals

banners were seen bearing, among others, the following inscriptions:

[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

The City Councils of Cincinnati, Louisville and Covington, with Governor Bramlette and many other distinguished personages from Kentucky, and from nearly all the towns and cities of Indiana, were in Indianapolis, to take part in a grand military and civic demonstration. It was expected that the procession would march early in the day, and that Governor Morton would deliver a funeral oration at the Capitol in the afternoon. Every railroad train for the previous twenty-four hours brought in its thousands, but the incessant rain prevented the programme from being carried out. All that could be done was to pay their silent respects to the remains. A constant stream of spectators continued to file past the coffin until near midnight, when it was escorted back to the depot, and, like the star of empire, continued its westward course.

A time table was prepared, and rules and regulations adopted, at Indianapolis, for running the train from that city to Chicago. The paper was signed by an officer of each of the three roads over which the train was to pass the Indianapolis & Lafayette, the Louisville, New Albany & Chicago, from Lafayette to Michigan City, and the Michigan Central from Michigan City to Chicago. As a sample of the way the train

was run during the whole journey, I omit the time table, but insert here the

RULES AND REGULATIONS.

1. The figures in Table represent the time upon which the Pi lot Engine is to be run, and the funeral train will follow, leaving each station ten minutes behind the figures of this table.

2. The funeral train will pass stations at a speed not exceeding five miles an hour, the engineman tolling his bell as the train passes through the station and town.

3. Telegraph offices upon the entire route will be kept open during the passage of the funeral train, and as soon as the train has passed a station the operator will at once give notice to that ef fect to the next telegraph station.

4. The pilot engine will pass no telegraph station without first getting information of funeral train having paseed the last preceding telegraph station, coming to a full stop for that information, if necessary.

5. Upon the entire route a safety signal will be shown at each switch and bridge, and at entrance upon each curve, indicating that all is safe for the passage of pilot and train—each man in charge of a signal knowing personally such to be the case, so far as his foresight can provide for it. The signal from Indianapolis, until reaching broad daylight, to be a white light, and from that point to Chicago, a white flag, draped.

6. The engineman in charge of pilot engine will carry two red lights in the night, and an American flag, draped, during daylight, indicating that a train is following, and will also provide themselves with red lights, flags and extra men, to give immediate notice to the funeral train, in case of meeting with anything on the route causing delay or detention.

7. The enginemen in charge of the funeral train will keep a sharp lookout for the pilot engine and its signals.

8. The pilot and funeral train will have entire right to the line during its passage, and all engines and trains of every description will be kept out of the way.

9. Each road forming the route will run its train upon its own standard time.

CHAPTER XX.

Notwithstanding the train departed in the middle of the night from Indianapolis, formidable demonstrations were made at Augusta, Zionsville, Whitestown, Lebanon, Hazelrigg, Thorntown, Colfax, Stockwell and many other points. The depots were draped in mourning and other insignia of sorrow were visible, in the light of bonfires and torches; but the people were assembled in large numbers at every point, to witness the great funeral train.

Arrived at Lafayette at three o'clock and thirty-five minutes, Monday morning, May 1. It was known that the train would stop at this place but a few minutes, but it appeared to those on board as if all the inhabitants of the city, and from many miles of the surrounding country, were there. The depot was draped in mourning, and the surrounding scene well lighted. The bells of the city were tolled, and other manifestations of sorrow were visible.

From Lafayette, the stations of Tippecanoe Battle Ground, Brookston, Chalmers, Reynolds, Bradford, Francisville, Medaryville, Kankakee, LaCrosse, Wanatah, Westville, Lacroix and many other towns, the depots were draped, and the people in many ways demonstrated their sorrow for the loss of our Chief Magistrate.

Michigan City, Indiana, eight o'clock a. m., May 1. A bountiful breakfast was prepared for the entire funeral party, in the main station house. Thirty-six young ladies, representing the States of the Union, and one representing the Goddess of Liberty, appeared

« ZurückWeiter »