User:LavaBaron/bodyguard

George Washington
As commanding general of the Continental Army, Washington was authorized a bodyguard of 250 soldiers. The elite unit, known as the Commander-in-Chief's Guard, escorted Washington for the duration of the American War of Independence but was disbanded at the end of hostilities. When Washington was elected President, he assumed office without a permanent bodyguard.

Adams to Harrison
Despite a regular rotation of threatening letters against incumbent presidents, and one attempt to assassinate Andrew Jackson, no regular security was provided to the president or the White House through to the presidency of William Henry Harrison.

Auxiliary Watch
In August of 1842 President John Tyler had rocks thrown at him by an intoxicated painter. The same month, the U.S. Congress authorized the creation of a force of 16 watchmen to patrol the grounds of the White House and its immediate vicinity, though the act appears to have been aimed more at the protection of the building itself than the President, the White House having been vandalized on several occasions up to that point. The watch, along with the door keeper, continued as the president's only security for the next 18 years.

Lincoln
Given the gravity of threats that had been made against Abraham Lincoln, the United States Army mobilized thousands of soldiers to protect the president-elect during his inaugural parade, the measures taken characterized in 1964 as "more elaborate than any precautions taken since". During the carriage ride to the Capitol, Lincoln was surrounded by such a dense mass of soldiers that it was impossible for spectators lining the parade route to see him. After his inauguration, details of troops were assigned on an ad hoc basis to secure the White House grounds and Ward H. Lamon, United States Marshal for the District of Columbia provided several guards for Lincoln's personal protection, these guards being later replaced by four Washington Metropolitan Police officers. With the outbreak of the American Civil War, the protective measures were increased in severity.

Post Civil War
Following the end of hostilities, the troops on the White House grounds were removed and the police detail lowered from four to three, the remaining officers now used exclusively for the protection of the White House and not to escort the president when he was about town. Even the assassination of president James Garfield did nothing to change this situation.

Grover Cleveland
The presidency of Grover Cleveland saw a substantial increase in death threats, and, in 1894 Cleveland ordered a seven-fold increase in the police detailed to the White House, from three to 27. The same year, the United States Secret Service began providing a protective escort to the president when he made public appearances, though unannounced or informal trips by the president outside of the White House continued without regular protection.

William McKinley
The outbreak of the Spanish-American War and political assassinations in Europe at the hands of anarchists, mobilized an additional increase in presidential security. In addition to the White House Police and public appearance protection, the Secret Service now began tasking at least one special agent to accompany the president on any trip off the White House grounds.