{"id":2388,"date":"2015-07-23T08:46:45","date_gmt":"2015-07-23T12:46:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gettysburgflag.com\/blog\/?p=2388"},"modified":"2024-06-13T13:33:28","modified_gmt":"2024-06-13T17:33:28","slug":"american-flag-prominent-grants-funeral","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gettysburgflag.com\/blog\/american-flag-prominent-grants-funeral\/","title":{"rendered":"American flags prominent in Grant\u2019s funeral"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"General<\/a>
General Grant reads on the porch of the Adirondack cabin where he died. (Library of Congress)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On July 23, 1885, Ulysses S. Grant died in a small cottage atop Mount McGregor in upstate New York. He had gone there to complete his memoirs as cancer ravaged him. He succeeded, just as he had in winning the Civil War two decades earlier. In both victories, American flags played major roles.<\/p>\n

When word of Grant\u2019s passing reached Americans 130 years ago, a nation mourned for many days, as it had in 1865, when President Abraham Lincoln was murdered. This time, as word spread across the continent, another president became the focus of wide-spread sorrow.<\/p>\n

\"Bunting<\/a>
Bunting surrounds Grant’s coffin as his son places a ring on his finger. (Illustration from 19th-century newspaper)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After Grant\u2019s body was laid out on a small bed in the cabin, The New York Times reported that \u201cthe canopy, still draped in the American flag<\/a>, remains over the body.\u201d A flag would travel with the ex-president until his burial in New York City many days later.<\/p>\n

In Washington, D.C., President Grover Cleveland \u201cimmediately directed that the flag on the White House should be placed at half staff<\/a>,\u201d reported papers across America. \u201cThe lowering of the flag was the first intimation that the citizens of Washington had of the death of the distinguished man.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cleveland\u2019s proclamation declared: \u201cIn testimony of respect to the memory of General Grant, it is ordered that the Executive Mansion and the several Departments at Washington be draped in mourning for a period of thirty days and that all public business shall on the day of the funeral be suspended.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
A Boston building is covered with mourning symbols for Grant and topped by a flag at half-staff. (Massachusetts Historical Society)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In imitation of the White House, a newspaper article continued, flags \u201con many private ones, were placed in like position\u2026.The citizens began draping their homes with mourning.\u201d Flags on public buildings and on houses followed suit throughout the nation.<\/p>\n

However, not everyone mourned Grant\u2019s death. In the South, anger still existed among many Confederates. In Chattanooga, Tennessee, for example, an American flag that was lowered to honor the ex-general, \u201cwas torn down by unknown persons,\u201d a newspaper notice said. The local postmaster \u201creplaced the flag [and] threatened to kill any man touching it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just as Lincoln\u2019s body had been taken by train across the U.S. to return him to Illinois for interment, Grant\u2019s remains were placed on a train and moved south to New York City. Throughout the journey, an American flag remained atop his coffin.<\/p>\n

\"Flags<\/a>
Flags flap as the Grant funeral procession passes by. (Smithsonian Institution)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Grant funeral procession, which did not begin until August 8, was an impressive sight, with mourners marching in a seven-mile-long demonstration of their tribulation. Two Union and two Confederate generals were among the pall-bearers, reflective of the great respect Grant had earned as a warrior, president and man.<\/p>\n

The night before the cortege, another group of sorrowing people demonstrated their special feelings for Grant. As reported in The Times, \u201ca memorial mass meeting, in which the entire local colored population was well represented, was held\u2026at the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church\u2026.The walls and galleries\u2026were heavily draped with black and a catafalque rested on the pulpit. It was decorated with a portrait of Gen. Grant.\u201d<\/p>\n

A memorial address reminded all that \u201cthe broken chains at the feet of the slaves are\u2026mute witnesses of his victory\u201d in the Civil War.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On July 23, 1885, Ulysses S. Grant died in a small cottage atop Mount McGregor in upstate New York. He had gone there to complete his memoirs as cancer ravaged him. He succeeded, just as he had in winning the Civil War two decades earlier. In both victories, American flags played major roles. When word… continue<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":2391,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[10,43,125,300,24,302,19,301],"class_list":["post-2388","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-history-lessons","tag-american-flag","tag-civil-war","tag-confederate","tag-general-grant","tag-half-staff","tag-half-s","tag-patriotism","tag-union"],"yoast_head":"\nAmerican flags prominent in Grant\u2019s funeral<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Ulysses S. 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