A Nation Remembers

“By the dawn of the twentieth century, Arlington had matured into something more than a Civil War cemetery; it had become a national symbol for sacrifice and honor, a rallying point for veterans, for ordinary visitors, and for solemn ceremony” (119).

The Book

On Hallowed Ground: The Story of Arlington National Cemetery by Robert M. Poole provides the reader with a history of America’s most famous cemetery. Arlington National Cemetery was born out of the Civil War and has been inexplicable linked to each of America’s wars since then. The land originally belonged to Mary Custis Lee, the wife of Robert E. Lee and great-granddaughter of Martha Washington. When Robert E. Lee chose to resign from the Union and lead the Confederate army, Arlington became a part of the Union’s defense of Washington, DC. Throughout much of its early history, the cemetery was a bridge, and was caught, between the struggle between the North and the South.

Arlington began as a 200 acre cemetery in 1864 and has grown to 624 acres. The white tombstones were put into practice in 1874 and the Tomb of the Unknown was dedicated on November 11, 1921. The United States Army Old Guard is tasked with the twenty-four hour guarding of the Tomb of the Unknown. The best part of On Hallowed Ground is Poole’s description of the Old Guard and their reverence for the Unknown Soldiers.

Overall, Poole does a good job explaining the creation of the cemetery and the people involved. However, some aspects of Arlington’s history and traditions are glossed over in deference to other events. For example, Poole spends an entire chapter on President Kennedy’s funeral, while only a couple of pages detailing the Old Guard. This decision plays into the complaints Poole details from the families who lost ordinary soldiers: more important people were often given more prominent burial plots and better funerals than the ordinary soldier.

The Place


Arlington NationalCemetery is located across the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial. Tours are available and they stop at the Tomb of the Unknown, President Kennedy gravesite, and Arlington House. Visitors can pick up a map at the Visitor Center to find the gravesites of famous Americans or family members.

The Tomb of the Unknown is humbling and the viewing of the changing of the guard is a unique experience. As you stand in the crowd, all you hear is the clicking of the soldier’s heels and you are struck by the sacrifice of the Unknowns and their families. Across from the Tomb of the Unknown are several memorials for the USS Maine, the Iran Hostage Rescue Team, and the Space Shuttles Challenger and Columbia. At the Arlington House, you have a sweeping view of the Potomac River and Washington, DC. Just in front of Arlington House lies Pierre Charles L’Enfant. L’Enfant was a Frenchmen who served in the Revolutionary War and designed the layout for the new capital city: Washington, DC. For his devotion to his adopted country, L’Enfant’s grave has the best view.

A visit to Arlington is not your typical tourist stop; it is a cemetery and visitors are expected to be reverent and respectful.