The Old Guard in 1898: A Short History of the Third United States Infantry Regiment

The Old Guard in 1898 is the first detailed insight into one of the Army’s most famous regiments: the Third United States Infantry Regiment, also known as The Old Guard and The President’s Own. Up to the year 1898, the Army had been an instrument of government policy limited to operations only within the North American continent. It had performed its mission well and had also made the conversion into a domestic peacekeeping force. With the outbreak of the War with Spain, however, the Army was asked to perform its primary function on the international political stage during a time of rapid, widespread news coverage. Historian Richard M. Lytle supplements his own narrative of the events with extensive newspaper accounts from the era, illustrating the public opinion and reaction to the war. In addition to the Old Guard’s participation in the War with Spain in 1898, Lytle relates everything else pertaining to this regiment: its founding, its role in the War of 1812, its controversial name change in 1815, its performance in the Civil War, and its duties today as the honor guard for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery, a caisson platoon, the continental honor guard, and a crackerjack Army drill team. Historic photographs of the Third Infantry Regiment are also included, bringing a face to the men who served in this famous unit, making this a necessity for military history enthusiasts.