On July 2, 1881 at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station in Washington, D.C., President of the United States James Garfield was shot at close range by Charles J. Guiteau who, upon being apprehended by police, yelled, "Arthur is now President"![1] Garfield, then the third youngest president in American history, died 79 days later in Elberon, New Jersey where he had been taken to recover.[1] The announcement of Garfield's death came as a surprise to the public as news accounts prior to that point had reported he had been recovering satisfactorily.[1]
Both John Philip Sousa and Garfield were members of the same Masonic lodge.[2] While reclining in bed, Sousa heard newspaperboys shouting the news of Garfield's death.[3] Shocked, he left his bed and went for a long walk through Washington.[3] By the next morning he had composed the melody for what would be called "In Memoriam: President Garfield's Funeral March".[3] On returning home, he committed it to paper.[3] "In Memoriam" was one of only two compositions Sousa dedicated to American presidents, the other was "President Garfield's Inauguration March", composed earlier in the year 1881 for the occasion of Garfield's inauguration.[4]
Performances
"In Memoriam" was performed by "the President's Own" United States Marine Band, under Sousa's direction, as Garfield's body arrived in Washington for the lying in state.[5] The Marine Band's first trip outside of Washington, under Sousa, occurred the following week when it traveled to Cleveland, Ohio for the funeral where the dirge was again performed during funeral rites.[5]
Fifty-one years later, "In Memoriam" was performed for Sousa's own funeral by the Marine Band as his remains were escorted to the Congressional Cemetery for interment.[3][6]
