The Ord-Weizel Gate was located at the northwest corner of the boundry fence. The Red Sandstone posts were an integral part of that installation. The gate was a single stone column on each side of the road with a double wrought iron inclosure. Ord was inscribed on the south column and Weitzel on the north column. There was a bronze tablet fastened to each Red Sandstone post. On each was an eagle in bold relief. Under the eagle on the south tablet was Arlington National Cemetery. On the north tablet was United States of America. These tables are now on the posts of the relocated Ord-Weitzel Gate. The roadway was 12 feet wide.

The gate was named in honor of Civil War Generals Edward Otho Cresap Ord and Godfrey Weitzel.

Edward Otho Cresap Ord was born Oct. 18, 1818. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in July 1939 and commissioned in the Artillery. He served in the Seminole War in 1840. He was sent in the Ship Lexington from N.Y. around Cape Horn to Calif. in 1847 and fought on the frontier in Indian Fighting. He was promoted to Captain in 1850.

In 1859 he was in the expedition suppressing John Brown's Raid at Harpers Ferry, W.Va. He was promoted to Brig. Gen. of Volunteers in 1861. He commanded the 3rd Brigade, McCall's Division, defending Washington, D.C. from Oct. 3, 1861 to March 13, 1962. He led the attack against Gen. J.E.B. Stuart at Dranesville, Va. He commanded brigades in the Potomac and Rappahannock Districts. On May 2, 1862 he was promoted to Major General, United States Volunteers and commanded Ord's Division, Rappahannock. In Tenn. he commanded the left wing of that Army (2d Division, 2d Division Cornith District and Jackson District) at Cornith and Hatchie. He was severely wounded at Hatchie. During the Vicksburg campaign he commanded the XII Corps and was in the capture of Jackson, Miss. in 1863. He was wounded a second time at Fort Harrison. He served with Gen. George Crook, in 1864, in the campaign directed against Stauton, Va. He commanded the VIII and later the XVIII Army Corps in Va. and N.C. During the siege of Petersburg and the Appomattox campaign, he commanded the XXIV Corps and the Department of Virginia. In 1865 he assumed command of the Army of the James and the Department of N.C. He retired as a Brig. Gen. in 1880 and was placed on the retired list in 1881 as a Maj. Gen. He died on July 22, 1883 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Section 2, Grave 982.

Fort Ord in Calif. is named in his honor.

Godfrey Weitzel was born Nov. 1, 1835. He graduated from the United States Military Academy number 2 of 34 in July 1855. He was commissioned in the Engineers. He served in the fortification of New Orleans from 1855-59. He was an instructor in Engineering at West Point 1859-61. He was on the expedition to Fort Pickens, Fla., to save the Union in 1861. On Oct. 9, 1861 he was made Chief Engineer of the fortifications of Cincinnati, Ohio, and then of Washington.

He was Chief Engineer under Gen. Benjamin Butler in the expedition against New Orleans. As Assistant Military Commander of New Orleans he was promoted to Brig. Gen., United States Volunteers. He commanded the 2d Brigade, XIX Corps and commanded the 1st Division XIX Corps at Thibodeaux, La., and Port Hudson on the expedition to Sabian Pass. In the Department of Virginia he commanded the 2d Division, XVIII Army Corps in the operations before Richmond at Swift's Creek and Drewry's Bluff and was Chief Engineer of the Army of the James until Sept. 30, 1864. He was promoted to Maj. Gen. of Volunteers in 1864 and brevetted Col. in the Regular Army for gallantry at the capture of Fort Harrison, Va. He commanded the XVIII Corps, Va., in the capture of Petersburg and the Appomattox campaign. He was in command of the occupation forces which marched into Richmond, Va., on April 3, 1865. Later in 1865 he commanded the Rio Grande District.

He was mustered out of the Volunteers in 1866 but returned to duty with the Corps of Engineers and was promoted to Maj. He was associated with the construction of ship canals at falls of the Ohio River and Saulte Sainte Marie, Mich., and the Light House at Stannards Rock in Lake Superior. He died on active duty as a Lt. Col. of Engineers on March 19, 1884.

He is not buried in Arlington National Cemetery.