Wilcox Grand Army post in their march . . . . from the armory). The body was borne up the centre aisle by six soldiers, preceded by Rector Brooks," while a detachment of soldiers stood as guard outside the church. After the services, in the procession following the cortege to the railroad station, from whence the body was taken to West Point for burial, were a detachment of police, Colt's band, the Peabody Guard, and representatives of all other military organizations in the city, while Mr. Brooks, Dr. Bowle the post surgeon, and prominent civilians rode in carriages. "Then came Col. Benton's white horse saddled and led by a soldier." Col. Benton's chapeau and sword were also prominently displayed. "But not the sword, the chapeau, the riderless horse, the unhearsed coffin or the long line of carriages touched the hearts of the onlookers so much as the sight of the whole body of armorers," following, on foot, the body of their beloved and deeply mourned Commandant.
Further research revealed the name of another great soldier who attended Christ Church, Major George Washington Whistler. Although in the world at large he was overshadowed by the fame of his son, the great painter, Major Whistler's achievements in his own field were of the highest order. When he was at West Point, the country was more concerned with railroad building than with fighting, so members of the army were in great demand as civil engineers. Major Whistler resigned his commission in 1833, and gave himself wholly to that profession. He was one who helped trace the north west boundary between Lake Superior and the Lake of the Woods; he was a civil engineer on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad; he directed the construction of the Boston and Providence Railroad; the Canton viaduct near Boston was built under his supervision. He lived in Springfield and attended Christ Church from 1840 to 1842, while constructing the Great Western Railroad, (Boston and Albany.) From Springfield Major Whistler went to Russia to build the St. Petersburg and Moscow Railroad, "and died while doing so. His body was sent
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