CHAPTER XVIII. At midnight, the funeral cortege left Cleveland, to continue its westward course. Rain continued to fall, but that did not abate the anxiety of the people. Among the towns worthy of special mention, on account of their costly and elaborate demonstrations, were Berea, Olmstead, Columbia, Grafton, Lagrange, Wellington, Rochester, New London, Greenwich, Shiloh, Shelby and Crestline, the latter place being reached at seven minutes past four o'clock a. m. At all these places the depots were draped and the national flag shrouded in mourning. Mottoes and inscriptions expressive of the sorrow of the people were everywhere visible. Through the rain and darkness they came, bearing lanterns and torches, that they might obtain a passing view of the great funeral pageant. Galion, Iberia and Gilead, each presented the same appearance, and the train arrived at Cardington at 5:20 a. m., Saturday, April 29. The largest gathering seen after leaving Cleveland, were collected at this place, about three thousand people being present. The depot was handsomely draped with mourning flags. Over the doorway was an inscription, in large letters, "He sleeps in the blessings of the poor, whose fetters God commissioned him to break." The train arrived and departed to the sound of minute guns and the tolling of bells. Ashley, Eden, Delaware, Berlin, Lewis' Centre, Orange, Westerville and Worthington, all presented the same appearance of depots draped in mourning. with mottoes, inscriptions, and increasing crowds of people. The train arrived at Columbus, Ohio, at 7:30 a. m., Saturday, April 29. By way of preparing for appropriately honoring the remains of the late Chief Magistrate, the following order had been promulgated at the proper time: General Order, No 5. GEN'L H'DQ'RS, STATE OF OHIO, Major John W. Skiles, Eighty-eighth O. V. I., is hereby ap. pointed Chief Marshal of the ceremonies in honor of the remains of the late President Lincoln, in the city of Columbus, on the twenty-ninth inst. He will appoint his own aides, and will have entire control of the ceremonies and procession attending the transfer of the remains from and to the depot. All societies, delegations, or other organizations, wishing to participate in the ceremonies, will report, by telegraph or letter, to the Chief Marshal on or before ten o'clock a. m. of Friday, the twenty-eighth inst. The headquarters of the Chief Marshal, during Thursday and Friday, twenty-seventh and twenty-eighth inst., will be at the Adjutant General's office, in the Capitol. By order of the Governor: B. R. COWEN, Assistant Adjutant General. Immediately on the arrival of the train, the funeral party were taken in carriages, the carriages moving three abreast, and the coffin was conveyed to a magnificent hearse. It was seventeen feet long, eight and a half feet wide, and seventeen and a half feet from the ground to the top of the canopy. The floor of the hearse was four feet from the ground. A dais was raised two and a half feet above the floor, making six and a half feet above the ground. On this the coffin rested, where it was sufficiently elevated for all to see it. The canopy was formed like a Chinese pagoda. The interior of the canopy was lined with silk flags, and the outside covered with black broadcloth. The dais, main floor,and the entire hearse was covered with black cloth, which hung in festoons from the main platform to within a few inches of the ground. The broadcloth was fringed with silver lace and ornamented with heavy tassels of black silk. Surrounding the cornice were thirty-six silver stars, and on the apex and the four corners were heavy black plumes. The canopy was curtained with black cloth and lined with white merino. On each side of the dais was the name "Lincoln," in silver letters. The hearse was drawn by six white horses, all covered with black cloth, edged with silver fringe. The heads of the horses were surmounted with large black plumes, and each was led by a groom, dressed in black, with white gloves and a white band around his hat. The flowers of Buffalo and Cleveland were still on the lid of the coffin. The procession was by far the most grand and imposing of any that had ever marched through the streets of the capital of Ohio. It was composed of soldiers, citizens and civic societies, not of Columbus only, but of Cincinnati and other cities and towns for many miles around. At the Soldiers' Hospital, the invalids had adorned the palings in front of the building with national flags, trimmed with mourning, and displayed other evidences of sorrow. These invalids, made so in the service of their country, gathered flowers and branches, principally lilac, and for several hundred yards, had strewn them on each side of the street, where the procession was to pass. Many of the soldiers appeared on crutches. Amid the tolling of bells and the booming of cannon, the solemn cortege wended its way to the State Capitol. The pillars of that beautiful white edifice were artisticially draped in mourning, and flags were at halfmast on each side of the dome. Displayed conspicuously, in large black letters, were the following words: "With malice toward none, with charity for all." Arched over the gate leading to the grounds, were the words, "Ohio Mourns," and over the entrance to the building, "God moves in a mysterious way." The interior of the capitol was draped in the most elaborate and costly style. The coffin was conveyed into the rotunda, where it was deposited on a mound of moss, thickly dotted. with the choicest of flowers, and surrounded by elegant vases of rare exotics. The walls were adorned with Powell's great painting of Perry's victory on Lake Erie; with clusters of battle flags, torn and riddled with bullets, as they were borne by Ohio regiments in suppressing the rebellion. These were festooned with crape, and drooped sadly around the spacious rotunda. As soon as the coffin was properly arranged, the spectators began to pass before the remains. Solemn dirges were performed at intervals, and guns were fired during the day. In the afternoon, a meeting was held at the east side of the capitol. On the stage were Major Generals Hooker and Hunter, with the clergy of the city. Rev. Mr. Goodwin opened the services with prayer. The Hon. Job E. Stevenson then addressed the vast assemblage, in a most eloquent and thrilling oration. He was listened to with the most profound attention from beginning to end. I. can only give a very brief synopsis. He said: "Ohio mourns, America mourns, the civilized world will mourn the cruel death of Abraham Lincoln, the brave, the wise, the good; bravest, wisest, best of men. History alone can measure and weigh his worth, but we, in parting from his mortal remains, may indulge the fullness of our hearts, in a few broken words, of his life, his death and his fame. "A western farmer's son, self-made, in early manhood he won by sterling qualities of head and heart, the public confidence, and was entrusted with the people's power. Growing with his State, he became a leader in the west. Elected President, he disbelieved the threats of traitors, and sought to serve his term in peace. The clouds of civil war darkened the land. The President pleaded and prayed for peace, 'long declined the war,' and only when the storm in fury burst upon the flag, did he arm for the Union. For four years the war raged, and the President was tried as man was never tried before. Oh, 'with what a load of toil and care,' has he come, with steady, steadfast step, through the valley and the shadow of defeat, over the bright mountain of victory, up to the sun-lit plain of peace! "Tried by dire disaster at Bull Run, where volunteer patriots met veteran traitors; at Fredericksburg, where courage contended with nature; at Chancellorville, that desperate venture; in the dismal swamps of the Chickahominy, where a brave army was buried in vain; by the chronic siege of Charleston, the mockery of Richmond, and the dangers of Washington-through all these trials the President stood firm, trusting in God and the people, while the people trusted in God and in him. There were never braver men than the Union volunteers; none braver ever rallied in Grecian phalanx or Roman legion; none braver ever bent the Saxon bow, or bore barbarian battle axe, or set the lance in rest; none braver ever followed the crescent or the cross, or fought with Napoleon, or Wellington, or Washington. Yet the commander-in-chief of the Union army and navy was worthy of the man-filling for four years the foremost and most perilous part unfaltering. "Tried by good fortune, he saw soldiers of the West recover the great valley, and bring back to the Union the Father of Waters, and all his beautiful children. He saw the legions of Lee hurled from the heights of Gettysburg. He saw the flag of the free rise on Lookout Mountain, and spread from river to sea, and rest over Sumter. He saw the Star Spangled Banner, brightened by the blaze of battle, bloom over Richmond, and he saw Lee surrender. Yet he remained wise and modest, giving all the glory to God and our army and navy. "Tried by civil affairs which would have taxed the powers and tested the virtues of Jefferson, Hamilton and Washington, he administered them so wisely and well, that after three years no man was found to take his place. He was re-elected, and the harvest |