A shudder of horror and reproachful regret passed through Natal. It was sorrowful that the prince should be killed, but doubly lamentable that he should fall by the assegais of savages when his comrades deserted him. In the army the feeling of indignation and regret was particularly strong; and, however desirous men felt to do justice, it was scarcely possible for human nature to be entirely free from prejudice in forming a judgment with regard to the conduct of those who had been with the prince on the fatal day of his death. The court-martial condemned Lieutenant Carey, and sent him home under arrest. But a reaction of opinion subsequently took place. The Empress interceded for the unfortunate man, and our own Queen was pleased to order his release from arrest.
The death of the Prince Imperial was felt as a personal grief by every colonist. It spread gloom throughout the country, and recalled vividly the shock that followed the disaster at Isandhlwana. The generous ardour with which the prince had given his services to the cause of the colonists seemed to have received a pitiful return. The heir of an Empire was dead, and the news must go hence to a widowed mother, who had made England her home. Every possible manifestation of grief and respect was paid. The military and the military authorities vied with the civil authorities and the people in doing honour to the illustrious dead. Natal went into mourning. When the corpse arrived at Pietermaritzburg, people of all classes crowded into the streets to show their respect by joining the procession. The Times of Natal tells us that on the 8th of June, at 1.15 p.m., a gun was fired from Fort Napier, announcing that the body had arrived within two miles of the city, and by two o'clock a number which must have exceeded 3000 had assembled at the place of rendezvous on the Commercial Road. Here the procession was formed, the military headed by Major-General the Hon. H. H. Clifford, Inspector-General of Communications, on the one side; and the civilians, headed by his Excellency Sir Henry Bulwer, the Lieutenant-Governor of the colony, on the other.
The body brought to Natal.
Thousands of people lined the way up to the place where the procession had to fall in, and some time was taken before all were in their places in the order above indicated. Following the civil authorities, came the City Guard, some sixty strong, under Colonel Mitchell as general leader, and J. H. Spence as district leader; and after them came a large number of the Odd Fellows and Foresters in the funeral insignia of their order. After this the general public followed, all in mourning.
The arrangements being completed, amid the solemn booming of the minute guns, and the tolling of the church bells, the gun-carriage bearing the coffin was seen slowly coming down the hill, accompanied by the escort of regulars and mounted police which had come with it. As it approached the military fell into their places, and there was a hush which spoke, more eloquently than any words, the feelings of the vast concourse of people as the body of the late prince approached. As the cortège passed every hat was raised in respect, and the military presented arms. The coffin was wrapped in a large tricolour, and upon it was a helmet and sword, together with wreaths of roses and camellias, and a beautiful cross of violets; while the grey charger, draped with a black pall, with the letter "N" on the corners, and with the boots reversed, according to military custom, followed. The procession then formed in the order given above, Major-General Clifford and the Lieutenant-Governor being immediately in front, while behind it were Fathers De Lacy and Baudry, the latter of whom had just come down with the body. In the procession were observed many clergy of the English Church and of other denominations, among them the Right Reverend Bishop Colenso, the Right Reverend Bishop Macrorie, Dean Green, Archdeacon Usherwood, the Rev. G. M. St. M. Ritchie, chaplain to the forces, etc., etc. The two valets of the late prince immediately followed the Catholic clergy. The pall-bearers were Captain Willoughby, 21st Scots Fusiliers; Captain Fox, R.A., D.A.A.G.; Major Russell, 12th Lancers; Lieutenant-Colonel East, 57th Foot, D.Q.M.G.; Lieutenant-Colonel Steward, R.E.; Colonel Reilly, C.B., R.H.A. The personal staff in attendance upon Major-General Clifford were Captain Fox, R.A., D.A.A.G., and Lieutenant Westmacott, 77th Regiment, A.D.C. General Bisset was also present, in full uniform. Major Spalding, D.A.A.G., acted as adjutant-general, in the absence of Colonel Bellairs. Amongst the civil servants were the Attorney-General, Hon. M. H. Gallwey; the Colonial Treasurer, Hon. Mr. Polkinghorne; the Surveyor-General, Mr. P. C. Sutherland, M.D.; the Mayor of Maritzburg, Mr. W. Francis, and the Town Councillors; Mr. W. Akerman, M.L.C., and Mr. C. C. Griffin, M.L.C.; and all the heads of departments who were not either absent from Maritzburg or prevented from being present by sickness.
Lord Clifford's special order.
The Maritzburg Rifles assembled in full number, under Lieutenant and Adjutant Scoones, and their band played the Dead March in "Saul," adding greatly to the solemnity of the procession. It marched slowly up Commercial Road to the corner of Church Street, up which it turned, and then wheeled along Chapel Street into Longmarket Street, arriving at the Roman Catholic School at about ten minutes before four. Here the coffin was taken from the gun-carriage by the pall-bearers, and conveyed into the chapel, followed by as many of the procession as the building would hold, the military who were on the ground being formed into two lines outside the building. The Rev. Father Barrett met the procession at the door, and, together with Father De Lacy and Father Baudry, officiated, reading a short service over the coffin; all present appearing deeply affected. The military were then drawn up outside the building, and his Excellency and other distinguished personages passed through the lines, and the doors of the building were then closed upon the mortal remains of the late lamented prince.
The following special order had been issued by General Clifford:—
"Wednesday, June 4th.