Ord and Weitzel Gate

The gate, located at the north entrance to Arlington National Cemetery (ANC), is dedicated to Union Civil War Major Generals Edward Ord and Godfrey Weitzel. Exiting the ANC, the gate provides access to the the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial and Netherlands Carillon.

Originally completed in 1879, it was constructed from two 35-foot high sandstone Doric columns salvaged from the demolition of the United States War Department Building (now the site of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building). The gate was initially not dedicated to anyone. In 1971, the gate was dismantled and the columns, marble pediments, and iron gates put into storage. The gate was restored and re-positioned in 2022 (photo at end – ANC Blog: Ceremony for Reopening of Historic Ord and Weitzel Gate)

General Ord (photo left) – “He returned to service in January of 1865, and took command of the Army of the James during the Appomattox Campaign. His men served a crucial role in the Union breakthrough at Petersburg. At the end of the campaign, Ord ordered a forced march which relieved General Philip Sheridan and his men, and helped force Robert E. Lee to surrender.” Edward O.C. Ord – American Battlefield Trust.

General Weitzel (photo right) – “It was not the short, bearded general from Galena, Ill. (U.S. Grant), who seized the Confederate capital; instead, it was a tall young officer, measuring 6′ 4″ and hailing from Winzeln, Germany, Godfrey Weitzel, who bravely led the all-black 25th Army Corps of Union troops into the Confederate capitol of Richmond on April 3, 1865.”

“The bright young engineer was promoted to full major general at age 29 and given command of an entire Army Corps, the 25th Corps. This corps was unique in that it was comprised solely of black troops, the only such corps in the Union Army and the very last corps formed during the war.” The Engineer Who Captured Richmond – The Society of American Military Engineers

Sources:

Photographs – Ord and Weitzel – From Wikipedia

Detroit Publishing Co., Publisher. The Ord-Weitzel Gate, Arlington, Va. United States Arlington National Cemetery Virginia, None. [Between 1900 and 1920] Photograph.

US Army Center of Military History, Secretaries of War and Secretaries of the Army (p.11)

Ord and Weitzel Gate – Arlington National Cemetery