[From official records, War Department.]
General Orders, No. 71.
Headquarters of the Army,
Adjutant-General's Office,
_Washington, September 20, 1881._
I. The following order of the Secretary of War announces to the Army the
death of James A. Garfield, President of the United States:
War Department, _September 20, 1881_.
With profound sorrow the Secretary of War announces to the Army that
James A. Garfield, President of the United States, died at Elberon,
N.J., at twenty-five minutes before 11 in the evening of September 19,
1881.
The great grief which is felt by the nation at the untimely death of the
President will be especially felt by the Army, in whose service he bore
so distinguished a part during the War of the Rebellion. In him the Army
has lost a beloved Commander in Chief, friend, and former comrade.
Proper honors will be paid to the memory of the late Chief Magistrate of
the nation at headquarters of each military department and division and
at each military station.
The General of the Army will give the necessary instructions for
carrying this order into effect.
ROBT. T. LINCOLN, _Secretary of War_.
II. On the day after the receipt of this order at the headquarters of
military commands in the field, and at each military station, and at the
Military Academy at West Point, the troops and cadets will be paraded at
10 o'clock a.m. and the order read to them, after which all labor for
the day will cease.
At dawn of day thirteen guns will be fired at each military post, and
afterwards at intervals of thirty minutes between the rising and setting
sun a single gun, and at the close of the day a national salute of
thirty-eight guns.
The national flag will be displayed at half-staff at the headquarters of
the several military divisions and departments and at all military
stations until the remains of the late Chief Magistrate are consigned to
their final resting place at Cleveland, Ohio, at 2 p.m. on the 26th
instant.
The officers of the Army of the United States will wear the badge of
mourning on the left arm and on their swords and the colors of the
regiments will be draped in mourning for the period of six months.
III. The following officers of the Army will, with a like number of
officers of the Navy selected for the purpose, compose the guard of
honor and accompany the remains of their late Commander in Chief from
the national capital to Cleveland, Ohio, and continue with them until
they are consigned to their final resting place: The General of the
Army, Major-General Winfield S. Hancock, Quartermaster-General M.C.
Meigs, Adjutant-General R.C. Drum, Inspector-General D.B. Sacket.
By command of General Sherman:
R.C. DRUM, _Adjutant-General_.
[From official records, War Department.]
General Orders, No. 72.
Headquarters of the Army,
Adjutant-General's Office,
_Washington, September 20, 1881._
The following order has been received from the War Department:
The Secretary of War announces to the Army that upon the death of James
A. Garfield, President of the United States, Chester A. Arthur,
Vice-President, on the 20th day of September, 1881, at his residence in
the city of New York, took the oath of office as President of the United
States, to which office he succeeded by virtue of the Constitution.
President Arthur has entered upon the discharge of his official duties.
ROBT. T. LINCOLN,
_Secretary of War._
By command of General Sherman:
R.C. DRUM, _Adjutant-General_.