Lincoln's Funeral March

In eleven major cities along the way, the train stopped and ceremonies were held. At each stop, Lincoln’s casket was removed from the funeral car and loaded onto an elaborate hearse provided by the city. Crowds lined the streets for the funeral procession as it wound through the streets to the place where the President would lie in state. The casket was then opened for viewing. Some cities held private ticketed viewing before the longer public viewing. Many thousands filed by at each stop to pay their respects. The casket was then closed, put back on the hearse, and returned to the funeral car. Special music was composed for many of these events. E.C. Davis composed Lincoln’s Funeral March and dedicated it “to the memory of the pure & noble patriot Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the U.S.” It was played at the ceremonies in Springfield, Illinois.