Changing of the Guard

From April 1 through Sept. 30, the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier occurs every half hour. 

Published on: Monday, March 31, 2025 read more ...

AUTHORS

Author: Douglas Breton, Park Guide, NPS
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“His Patriotic Spirit Gave Him No Rest”: The Life of Major David F. Cole, 107th USCT

Every day, visitors to Arlington House, a National Park Service site located within Arlington National Cemetery, pass a row of 50 headstones lining the path around the flower garden. Located within the boundaries of Arlington National Cemetery, these are the graves of U.S. Army officers who died during the Civil War. Most of the headstones are uniform in size and shape, all made of white marble. One however, stands much taller than any other. This privately purchased headstone often catches visitors’ attention. Those who stop to read it will find a short inscription: “D. F. Cole, Major of the 107th Col’d Infy. Died at Point of Rocks, Va., Jan. 7, 1865, aged 27 years – FLORENCE.” This is much more information than most Civil War grave markers provide. Yet it raises more questions than it answers. Who was Major D. F. Cole, and why was he buried so close to Arlington House with a privately furnished marker instead of a government-issued headstone?