Provisional Army Orders Detailing Ceremony in Honor of George Washington's Death

George Washington died on December 14, 1799 at Mount Vernon after a wet and snowy ride through his fields on December 12. The day after his ride he remained inside, but developed problems with his throat. His condition worsened and on December 14 his physicians bled him four times and blistered his neck with Spanish fly in an attempt to draw out the inflammation. These procedures, while common at the time, probably did more harm than good and the former commander of the Continental Army faded quickly. Some historians believe he died of acute epiglottitis which is a severe, rapidly progressing infection of the epiglottis and surrounding tissues that may be quickly become fatal.¹ One historian conjectures that it could have diphtheria or a virulent form of strep throat.² Others simply mention Washington's sore throat.³

The outpouring of national grief for the former president, who was technically in charge of the army at the time of his death, was immense. Washington could have never held back the feelings of the nation despite the specific request in his will that, "it is my express desire that my Corpse may be Interred in a private manner, without parade, or funeral Oration." The orders Lieutenant Lodowick M. Gallup received from his commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel William Stephens Smith, the son-in-law of President John Adams, fly in the face of that request.

The burial of the national hero took place at Mount Vernon on December 18. His Masonic lodge was permitted to prepare arrangements for a funeral procession and troops from the Alexandria Regiment joined in solemn march.⁴ The procession carried Washington's coffin to a red brick tomb on a hillside below the mansion house where traditional Masonic funeral rites were performed. The shroud was briefly withdrawn to allow the mourners one last glimpse of Washington before he was placed in the tomb. The mourners retired to the mansion to pay their respects to Martha Washington, ending the official funeral, but beginning a wide array of funerals that multiplied across the nation.

Various services continued to take place until the official day of mourning February 22, 1800, what would have been Washington's sixty-eighth birthday. The instructions Smith sent Gallup on Christmas Day were for one of those ceremonies around New York. But the funeral that established the pattern for other funerals across the country took place in the temporary capital, Philadelphia. On December 26th, the City of Brotherly Love ushered in the morning by the firing of sixteen cannons. Volleys were repeated every half hour until eleven o' clock. Troops assembled at the State House and the public joined the march, which was led by a riderless horse, escorted by two marines, preceded by the clergy. In the midst of the procession pallbearers carried an empty bier to the German Lutheran Church where members of Congress and other members of the procession heard prayers. Afterwards, General Henry "Lighthorse Harry" Lee gave the most memorable of all the eulogies to Washington, saying the general was "first in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen."

The ceremony for which Gallup was given instructions was not as memorable as the Philadelphia service. Gallup was a junior officer in the army created to fight the Quasi War with France (1798-1800), a conflict that saw several sharp exchanges at sea but never materialized on land. His orders from Smith came from the new army commander, Major General Alexander Hamilton. In a strange twist, Smith, who had distinguished himself as an aide-de-camp to Washington at the end of the Revolution, was preparing a service to honor his respected former boss, while the respect of his current bosses, Adams and Hamilton, waned. After a series of bad land deals Smith had been denied the command of a brigade by the Senate when Adams put his name up for the post in 1798. To Adams's chagrin, Smith was then given command of a regiment at a rank lower than he held during the Revolution, which he accepted.

Here we see the former Revolutionary War hero providing instructions for mundane matters like column movements, musical processions, and artillery blasts.

Union Camp.
Brigade Orders Decm.r 25.th 1799
Major General Hamilton having Communicated to the Commandant of the Union Brigade, the Orders of the President relative to the funeral Cerimonies to be paid to the Memory of General George Washington Commander of the armies of the U. States on the 26 st Instant at the Cantonment of the Brigade who departed this life at Mount Vernon on the 14 th Ins. t the Corpse of Brigade Artillery will on the beating of the revalie drum advance on the plain in front of the Cantonment. on the right & left of the Marqui Covering the bier, which will be pitched for that purpose by the Brigade Major & faceing Outward immediately fire in quick Succession 16 guns & one in every half hour untill sunset –

The assembly will beat at half past Eleven by the Brigade drums formed in front of the police hutt of the 12. th where they will stand paraded the 12. th will form its battalions on the right and left of the Music the 11 th & 13 th will Close to the Right & left at proper intervals to the flanks of the 12 the line on signal will form in parade with open Ranks four paces, officers eight paces in front of plattoons. The bier will then be unmasked by striking the Marqui and preceded by the Clergy and attended by the pallbearers. Move directed by the Brigade Q r Master, upon the movement of the bier, the line [2] by signal will present arms. and officers salute and Drums beat three three long illegibleMufled ruffs – the artillery will commence firing minute guns and Continue to the end of Carying, the bier going is stations will rest on signal the line will shoulder on signal reverse arms. on signal rear rank close to the front and officers take post in battalion on signal the line will brake into Column to the right, on signal plattoons will face to the right about. on signal the open Collumn with reversed arms platoons will move in slow and solemn march. with mufled Drums beating the funeral march with the left in front – On the rear of the Collumns arriving at the bier it will in proper order take its station in rear of Colum followed by our mourning Citzens in files – The Column led by its proper Officer will on arriving at the left of the police hutt of the 13. th which to the left advance to the alinement of the street formed by the front of the Officers & rear of the Mens hutts of the 13. th wheel to the right and Marching to the given point of View. extend into he plain, on the marked period, the Column will wheel to the right untill it fully opens the front parad[e] of the Cantonment, wheel again to the right and extend the Sollemn procession along the full fronts. dressing the pivot flanks on the Allinement of the parade. continue its line of March to the Center of the 12 th wheel to the left and march with a Correct front to the Covered Monument erected for the reception of the bier. when th head of the Column has arrived at its Station by signal the [3] Column will halt by signal platoons will face to the right about by signal platoons will wheel to the left dressing the left and forming the line with proper front, by signal the front rank will advance eight pairs halt dress, by signal face to the right about and dress Correctly – By signal the two lines will rest in solemn silence and mournfull attitude on arms reversed. the bier will then move properly attended with solemn step to Brigade Music playing the funeral dirge. on the arrival at the Monument the bier will pass and its particular procession will wheel in front and halt, the Mourning Citizens will pass by single files into the open space in front of the Monument and there be pleased to wait in sad silence the further Ceremony. on signal platoons wil wheel to the left forming open Collumns on the left. the left in front on signal the Column will Close on singal the Close Columjn will display to the right and left on the left platoon of the right Battalion of the 12. th dress by the Center and the line will be formed with its proper front. having the Monument in front & Center on Signal the line will rest on reverse armes and the Brigade Major will read the General Orders & one of the reverend Clergy deliver an elogy address suited to the occasion – at the end of which [4] the music will play a solemn air & the bier will be deposited in the Covered Monument & the monument forever Closed. the Musick will cease. by signal the line will shoulder arms and fire three Volies – by signal the line will brake into Column to the right by signal march to the front with drums unmufled playing the presidents March. wheel to the left pass the Monument with Carried arms horse Officers Saluting with swords platoon officers and universal Music when Oposite the monument give three ruffs and the open Column will thus move to its first parade. by signal halt by signal platoons to the left wheel – and by signal order arms. the music will join there several regiments and there respective Commanding Officers will march them to their respective Regimental parades & dismiss them the Commandant of the Brigade flatters himself they will be entitled to & receive the thank[s] of their officers, for their Steady & soldier like Conduct on this most Solemn & melancholy Occasion –

W. Smith Col. o of the 12

Reg t & Com d

GLC03997, Orderly Book, 25 December 1799

For a list of other documents about George Washington in the Gilder Lehrman Collection, click here. For more information or to obtain copies, contact Ana Ramirez-Luhrs at reference@gilderlehrman.com or call (212) 787-6616 ext. 209.

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