Washington's body was brought down from the chamber at midnight, and laid out in the drawing-room; and on the following morning (Sunday) a plain mahogany coffin was procured from Alexandria, and mourning ordered for the family, the overseers, and the domestics.* On the same day, several of the relatives, who had been sent for, arrived, among whom was Mrs. Stuart, the mother of Mrs. Washington's grandchildren. Mr. Lewis and young Custis were in New Kent, and only arrived home in time to be present at the funeral, a servant having been despatched for them. The family wished the burial to be postponed for a week, to give an opportunity for some of Washington's relatives at a distance to be there. But the physicians decided that the disease of which he died, being of an inflammatory nature, it would not be proper to keep the body so long. The time of the funeral was therefore fixed at twelve o'clock, meridian, on Wednesday, the eighteenth. The Reverend Mr. Davis, of Alexandria, who had officiated at a wedding at Mount Vernon ten months before, was invited to perform the burial service, according to the beautiful ritual of the Protestant Episcopal Church. Having received information from Alexandria that the military and Freemasons were desirous of showing their respect for their chief and brother, by following his body to the grave, Mr. Lear ordered provisions to be prepared for a large number of people, as some refreshment would be expected by them. And Mr. Robert Hamilton, of Alexandria, wrote to Mr. Lear that a schooner of his * At the head of the coffin was placed an ornament, inscribed SURGE AD JUDICUM. At about the middle were the words GLORIA DEO; and upon a silver plate was the record GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON, DEPARTED THIS LIFE ON THE 14TH DECEMBER, 1799, ÆT. 68. The coffin was lined with lead; and upon a cover of the same material, to be put on after the coffin was laid in the vault, was a silver shield, nearly three inches in length, inscribed GEORGE WASHINGTON, BORN FEB. 22, 1732. DIED DECEMBER 14, 1799. ET. 67.] THE FUNERAL. 559 would anchor off Mount Vernon, to fire minute-guns while the body was passing from the mansion to the tomb. The arrangements for the procession at the funeral were made by Colonels Little, Simms, and Deneale, and Doctor Dick. The old family vault was opened and cleaned, and Mr. Lear ordered an entrance-door to be made for it, that it might not be again closed with brick. Mr. Stewart, adjutant of the Alexandria regiment, of which Washington had once been colonel, went down to Mount Vernon to view the ground for the procession. The people began to collect at Mount Vernon on Wednesday, at eleven o'clock; but, owing to a delay of the military, the time for the procession was postponed until three o'clock. The coffined body of the illustrious patriot lay, meanwhile, beneath the grand piazza of the mansion, where he had so often walked and mused. Between three and four o'clock the procession moved, and, at the same time, minute-guns were fired from the schooner anchored in the Potomac. The pall-bearers were Colonels Little, Simms, Payne, Gilpin, Ramsay, and Marsteler. Colonel Blackburn preceded the corpse. Colonel Deneale marched with the military. The proces sion moved out through the gate at the left wing of the house, and proceeded round in front of the lawn, and down to the vault on the right wing of the house. The following was the composition and order of the procession: The troops, horse and foot, with arms reversed. Music. The clergy, namely, the Rev. Messrs. Davis, Muir, Moffat, and Addison. The general's horse, with his saddle, holsters, and pistols, led by two grooms (Cyrus and Wilson), in black. The body, borne by the Masons and officers. Principal mourners, namely: Mrs. Stuart and Mrs. Law, Lord Fairfax and Ferdinando Fairfax. Lodge No. 23. Corporation of Alexandria. All other persons, preceded by Mr. Anderson and the overseers. When the body arrived near the vault, at the bottom of the lawn, on the high bank of the Potomac, the cavalry halted; the infantry moved forward and formed the in-lining; the Masonic brethren and citizens descended to the vault, and the funeral services of the church were read by the Reverend Mr. Davis. He also pronounced a short discourse. The Masons then performed their peculiar ceremonies, and the body was deposited in the vault. Three general discharges of arms were then given by the infantry and the cavalry; and eleven pieces of artillery, which were ranged back of the vault and simultaneously discharged, "paid the last tribute to the entombed commander-in-chief of the armies of the United States." The sun was now setting, and mournfully that funeral assembly departed for their respective homes.* The federal Congress was in session at Philadelphia when intelligence of the death of Washington reached that city. It was first communicated, on the morning of the eighteenth of December (the day of the funeral), by a passenger in the stage, to an acquaintThe news spread rapidly, and soon reached the house of representatives, when, immediately after the journals were read, the Honorable John Marshall, of Virginia, arose, and in a voice tremulous with the deepest emotion said: ance. "Mr. Speaker, information has just been received that our illustrious fellow-citizen, the commander-in-chief of the American army, and the late president of the United States, is no more. Though this distressing intelligence is not certain, there is too much reason to believe its truth. After receiving information of this national calamity, so heavy and so afflicting, the house of representatives can be but ill fitted for public business. I move you, therefore, that we adjourn." The house immediately adjourned until the next day at eleven o'clock. When the house reassembled on the morning of the nineteenth, Mr. Marshall addressed them as follows: "Mr. Speaker, the melancholy event, which was yesterday announced with doubt, has been rendered but too certain. Our WASH Mount Vernon and its Associations. As "Your letter of the 25th reached me last "night. The transaction concerning which you "enquire passed in the following manner. "the stage passed through Philadelphia, some 66 passenger mentioned to a friend he saw in the "street, the death of General Washington. The "report flew to the hall of Congress and I was "asked to move an adjournment. I did so. Gen"eral Lee was not at the time in the House. "receiving the intelligence, which he did on the "first arrival of the stage, he retired to his room "and prepared the Resolutions which were adopt"ed, with the intention of offering them him"self. But the House of Representatives had "risen on my motion; and it was expected by all On that I would, on the next day, announce the la"mented event and propose Resolutions adapted "to the occasion. General Lee immediately "called on me and showed me his Resolutions. "He said it had now become improper for him "to offer them, and wished we to take them. 'As I had not written anything myself, and was pleased with his Resolutions, which I entirely "approved, I told him I would offer them the "next day, when I should state to the House of Representatives the confirmation of the melan 66 choly intelligence received the preceding day. "I did so. You will see the facts stated in a "note to the Preface to the Life of Washington, "p. v., and again in a note to Volume V., p. 66 765. "I am, dear Sir, with very great respect, "Your obedt |