New York National Guard marks birthday of President Chester Arthur with White House wreath

MENANDS, New York — New York Army National Guard Brig. Gen. Patrick Clare marked the 197th birthday of President Chester Arthur, with a wreath laying ceremony at his gravesite at Albany Rural Cemetery on Monday, Oct. 5.

Clare, the assistant adjutant general, Army for the New York National Guard, presented a wreath from President Donald Trump to commemorate the 21st president of the United States who died on Nov. 18,1886 at age 57.

Since 1967 military officers have laid a wreath sent by the current president at the graves of former U.S. Presidents.

Arthur who was elected vice president in 1880 as the running mate of James Garfield, became president in 1881 following the death of Garfield's death, and left office in 1885.

Clare and New York Army National Guard Command Sgt. Major Leylan Jones, presented the presidential wreath at Arthur's grave after a short program while 75 people watched.

An Honor Cordon made up of officers and senior non-commissioned officers from New York Army National Guard headquarters, a bugler, and a color guard also took part in the ceremony. Chaplain ( Major) Michael Scholes delivered the invocation and benediction.

Albany Rural Cemetery Trustee Lance Ingmire described the circumstances of Arthurs death from a kidney disease, and his burial next to his wife-who had died in 1880--on Nov. 22, 1886.

Although Arthur lived, worked and died in New York City, he taught school in the area and attended Union College in nearby Schenectady.

Albany area historian and author David Pietrusza outlined Arthur's history as a lawyer and his accomplishments as president in reforming the civil service, beginning the rebuilding of the U.S. Navy, and shaping the nation's first immigration lace.

He pointed out that Mark Twain, who was notoriously cynical about politicians praised Arthur when he died. "I am but one in 55,000,000; still, in the opinion of this one-fifty-five-millionth of the country's population, it would be hard to better President Arthur's administration," Twain wrote.

In his remarks Clare, outlined Arthur's service as a brigadier general in the New York Militia at the start of the Civil War.

New York Governor Edwin Morgan designated Arthur as engineer in chief of the militia and directed him to determine if New York's harbor forts could defend against attack from the sea.

When the war broke out, Arthur was directed to house, feed and equip troops mobilizing in New York City before being dispatched to defend Washington.

During the Civil War states raised units and then turned them over to the U.S. Army.

By the end of 1861 Arthur had equipped 55 regiments, each with about 1,000 men, with muskets, tents, uniforms, rations, canteens and myriads of other items , Clare said.

"As a logistics officer myself I am impressed by what he accomplished," Clare said.

In 1862 Arthur was made inspector general of the New York Militia and visited troops in the field, before he was called back to once again serve as quartermaster general. During 1862 he housed and fed and equipped 70 more regiments, Clare added.

"Today, as we remember Chester Arthur the accomplished lawyer, enemy of slavery, and reforming president, I am proud that we can also remember him as an accomplished New York citizen Soldier," Clare said.

Six presidents are buried in New York. The New York National Guard also places wreaths at the graves of Martin Van Buren in Kinderhook, New York, and Millard Filmore in Buffalo.

Arthur, a one-time schoolteacher in Pownell, Vermont and in Cohoes, New York, became president on Sept. 19, 1881, when President James Garfield died from a bullet wound suffered at the hands of an assassin on July 2, 1881.

Born in Vermont, Arthur attended Union College in Schenectady and later became a lawyer.

He had never held political office before being elected as vice president.

Arthur worked as a lawyer and was active in Republican politics in New York.

In 1855 he represented Elizabeth Jennings, an African American woman who had been thrown off a New York City horsecar in July 1854 because only white people were allowed to ride that car. He won Jennings a settlement of $225 in damages and the court ruled the Black Americans could not be excluded from public transit provided they were "sober, well behaved, and free from disease."

From 1871 to 1878 he was the chief Customs Inspector in New York City and the leader of the "Stalwart" wing of the Republican Party. He was elected vice president during the election of 1880.

During his time in office, he signed the first federal Civil Service Law, oversaw the implementation of the first law governing immigration, and advocated for an international conference to that set the prime meridian-used for determining a place on earth and for time keeping-as running through Greenwich, England.

He is also created with being the father of the modern United States Navy since he endorsed the construction of steel, coal-fired steam engine propelled ships, and the creation of the Naval War College to teach officers strategy.

Arthur, who had been in poor health during the latter part of his term as the result of a kidney disease, died of a cerebral hemorrhage less than two years after leaving office.

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