Funeral of Governor Clinton.

Pursuant to the arrangements previously made under the direction of the legislature, the funeral of the late Governor Clinton took place on Thursday, the 14^th February.

The day was ushered in at sunrise by the discharge of cannon, which was repeated every half hour until sunset.

The two houses of the legislature, convened at 1 o’clock, P.M. and after a short sitting, proceeded in a body to the mansion of the deceased. The state officers, the clergy of the city, the pall bearers, the relatives of the deceased, his present and late military family, and several other gentlemen were also assembled at the same place. The dwellings of Mrs. Van Schaick, Messrs. Brown, Dudley, Wheaton, Davis, Elmendorf, James, and Westerlo, were also most obligingly opened, for the accommodation of the corporation of the city, the members of the bar, and other societies.

The citizens of Albany were assembled in great numbers at the consistory room of the North Dutch Church, whilst the side-walks and street, from the residence of Governor Clinton to State-street, were filled by the inhabitants of this county and the adjoining counties.

Immediately after 2 o’clock, a solemn and most appropriate address to the throne of grace, was made by the Rev. Dr. Ludlow, who was invited, in the absence, from ill health, of Dr. Chester, to whose congregation the Governor was attached, to perform that duty. The coffin was then placed in the hearse, and the solemn knell which announced the forming of the procession, resounded from all quarters of the city.

The procession moved in the following order under the firing of minute guns, which continued until the close of the solemnities.

The military escort, consisting of –

The ninth regiment of riflemen, under Colonel Taylor.

A battalion of light infantry, under Lieut. Col. Shankland. Commandants of companies, Captains Fry and Groesbeeck. To this battalion were attached three companies of light infantry from Gibbonsville and Troy.

A battalion of artillery, under command of Major Gibbons. Commandants of companies, Captains Thomas and Preston.

A squadron of horse artillery, under Lieut. Col. Van Schaick. Commandants of companies, Captains Green and Fuller.

A Squadron of the third brigade of horse artillery, under the command of Col. Consaul. Commandants of companies, Major Winne and Captain Brandon.

The whole under the command of Brigadier-general Cooper, accompanied by his staff.

The Clergy of the city, and the attending Physicians, with scarfs.

The hearse, covered by a superb canopy, surmounted with black plumes, drawn by four, white horses; their heads also decorated with black plumes, and their harness trimmed with crape. The horses were led by grooms properly habited.

The following gentlemen, with scarfs, as pall bearers:

General Bogardus, Mr. Crary, Mr. Ellsworth, and Mr. Wilkeson, of the Senate. – Mr. Bucklin, Mr. Scudder, General Montross, Mr. Williams, Mr. Breese, and General Brinckerhoff, of the Assembly. – Chief Justice Savage, Judge Sutherland, the Secretary of State Mr. Flagg, the Comptroller Mr. Marcy, and Messrs. J.D.P. Douw, and Mr. William James.

The Military Association, as an escort to the pall bearers.

The relatives of the deceased and of his family, in carriages. Among them were the venerable John Tayler, late Lieutenant-governor, Chief Justice Spencer, Chancellor Jones, Judge Woodworth, Judge Duer, and other gentlemen of distinction.

The present and late military family of the Commander-in-Chief, also as mourners.

The joint committee of arrangements, in scarfs.

The Senate, preceded by its officers, the president with a scarf.

The Assembly, preceded by its officers, the speaker with a scarf.

The Attorney General and Treasurer of the State, the Canal Commissioners, and other state officers.

Governor Van Ness, of Vermont, and other strangers specially invited.

The Common Council of the city of Albany, and their officers.

The Judicial and Executive officers of the county of Albany.

The members of the bar, with their distinguished senior, Abraham Van Vechten at their head.

Knights Templars, with their banner.

Master Masons.

Royal Arch Masons, with their officers in full dress.

Present and past grand officers of the Grand Chapter of the state of New-York, in full dress.

Members of the fraternity, to the number of five hundred, with the insignia of the order.

The faculty of Union College, preceded by their president, Dr. Nott, robed in a scarf, and the Phi Beta Kappa Society of that College.

The St. Andrew’s Society, with their badges.

The officers and members of the Albany County Sunday School Union Society.

The Fire Departments, consisting of several companies, with their banners; the whole under the direction of Allen Brown, as marshal.

The masters of vessels and steam-boats.

The students at law.

The citizens of Albany, preceded by the several ward committees.

Citizens of the adjoining counties.

The procession moved through North Pearl, Columbia, North Market, State, and Washington streets, to the place of sepulture, the family vault of the late Dr. Stringer, in Sand-street; where the military escort opened to the right and left, through which the hearse, followed by the relatives and other mourners, and by such of the procession as circumstances would permit, proceeded to the vault. The mortal remains of De Witt Clinton were then deposited in the "narrow house." Military honours were paid to them, and the procession dismissed at half past four.

Thus terminated the funeral honours decreed by the representatives of the people of New-York to her distinguished son.

It was alike honourable to our citizens, and indicative of the great interest felt on the occasion, to observe the entire suspension of business, and the stillness and solemnity which every where prevailed.

Many interesting circumstances could be mentioned to illustrate the general feeling, were it not feared that this account was already sufficiently extended. A few particulars only will be adverted to.

Great interest was manifested by the public to see the body, ere it was for ever withdrawn from human observation. From an early hour in the morning until one o’clock, the room in which the coffin was deposited, was thronged by respectable visitants who attended for that purpose, and many of whom had come from a considerable distance.

The side-walks of every street through which the procession moved, and the windows of houses, and the roofs of several of them, were thronged by spectators of both sexes, and of every age. Many of them wore badges, bearing a miniature likeness of Clinton. More than one of the groups thus decorated, were composed of children, whose parents had adopted this mode of manifesting their own sympathy with the general feeling.

The colours of the several vessels at the wharves of the city, were displayed at half mast. Upon the whole, every thing was done that duty or sympathy required; and so done, as to confer honour upon the legislature and the state. The solemnities, without being ostentatious, were appropriate and imposing; they were calculated to call out the finer feelings of the heart; to remind those who witnessed them, of the solemn rites consecrated, in ancient days, to the memory of heroes and mighty men; and to furnish at the same time, a noble incentive and a bright reward to public virtue.

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Transcribed from the original text and html prepared by Bill Carr, last updated 5/31/99.