Cemeteries

Expansion of Federal Burial Policy

As the Civil War exacted its terrible toll, the Federal government faced the tremendous responsibility of locating the final resting places of Union dead on the verges of battlefields and in small civilian cemeteries. Oftentimes, these graves were deep in the heart of enemy territory. Partially out of fear that Southerners would desecrate Union burials, the Federal government began the process of removing Union dead to more honorable and protected spaces. To this end, Congress created the national cemetery system in 1862.

After the war's conclusion, the Secretary of War's office assumed the grim task of transporting thousands of bodies to these new national cemeteries. All exhumations and reinterments were carefully documented, revealing not only the scope of this project, but also the immense care with which it was undertaken.

The following table, drawn from the Secretary of War's annual inspection reports, reveals the evolution of the national cemetery system. The cemeteries are listed in alphabetical order by state and indicate original and subsequent burials of war dead.

As always, this page represents a work in progress. We would be happy to receive any information about the development of the national cemeteries not included in this draft.
 
 
Est Cemetery Interment History USA Known USA Unknown USCT Known USCT Unkown CSA Known CSA Unknown Total
1865 Mobile National Cemetery 10 Dec 1868 613 33 69 91     806
    15 Feb 1871 613 33 165 91     902
    Total 613 91 165 91     960
1867 Fayetteville National Cemetrey 3 Feb 1869 455 743         1,198
    29 May 1871             1,210
    Total 456 754         1,210
1867 Fort Smith National Cemetery 21 Jan 1869 437 1,301 12 3     1,753
    1 June 1871 497 936 68 3 17 108 1,629
    Total 497 936 68 3 17 108 1,629
1868 Little Rock National Cemetery 26 Jan 1869 2,638 2,009 438 324     5,409
    3 June 1871 2,724 1,953 438 324     5,439
    Total 2,724 1,953 438 324     5,439
1867 Battleground National Cemetery 30 Nov 1868 40           40
    18 Oct 1871 40           40
    Total 40           40
1862 Soldier's Home National Cemetery 22 April 1868 5,168   195   117   5,480
    18 Oct 1871 5,092 278     125   5,495
    Total 5,092 278     125   5,495
1868 Barrancas National Cemetery 1868 430 345 154 270 60 12 1,271
    16 Feb 1871 491 496 154 98 60 12 1,311
    Total 491 496 154 98 60 12 1,311
1865 Andersonville National Cemetery 13 Nov 1868 12,768 839 16 95     13,718
    23 May 1870 12,762 839 16 95 118   13,830
    Total 12,762 839 16 95 118   13,830
1866 Marietta National Cemetery 16 Nov 1868 6,818 2,111 158 67     9,154
    26 May 1870 6,857 2,966 158 67     10,048
    Total 6,857 2,966 158 67     10,048
1862 Camp Butler National Cemetery 31 Aug 1868 537 98 6   454 189 1,284
    23 June 1870 549 165       645 1,359
    Total 549 165     454 189 1,357
1864 Mound City National Cemetery 7 Dec 1868 2,060 2,441 307     41 4,849
    12 June 1871 2,060 2,460 307     41 4,868
    Total 2,060 2,460 307   41   4,868
1863 Rock Island National Cemetery 28 Aug 1868 74 7 49       130
    28 June 1870 226 9 54   1,928   2,217
    Total 226 9 54   1,913 15 2,217
1862 New Albany National Cemetery 15 Nov 1870 1,341 490 757 208     2,796
    Total 1,341 490 757 208     2,796
1862 Keokuk National Cemetery 26 Aug 1868 606 21         627
    25 April 1871 600 27         627
    Total 600 27         627
1862 Ft Leavenworth National Cemetery 16 Aug 1869 417 676         1,093
    7 Nov 1870 354 731         1,085
    Total 354 731     7   1,092
1862 Ft Scott National Cemetery 1869 306 101         407
    8 Nov 1870 306 101     14   421
    Total 306 101     14   421
1866 Camp Nelson National Cemetery 23 Feb 1869 1,494 1,184 867 5     3,550
    18 Nov 1870 1,494 1,184 867 5     3,550
    Total 1,494 1,184 867 5     3,550
1863 Cave Hill National Cemetery 20 Feb 1869 3,314 405 9 157     3,885
    14 Nov 1870 3,341 406   157     3,904
    Total 3,317 405   157     3,879
1862 Danville National Cemetery 1869 346 8         354
    19 Nov 1870             358
    Total 346 8         354
1867 Lebanon National Cemetery 1869 582 281         863
    25 Nov 1870 582 281         863
    Total 582 281         863
1863 Lexington National Cemetery 22 Feb 1869 762 101 53 4     920
    17 Nov 1870             929
    Total 762 101 53 4     920
1862 Mill Springs National Cemetery 1869 318 356 20 11     705
    22 Nov 1870 319 356 20 11     706
    Total 319 356 20 11     706
1867 Alexandria National Cemetery 15 Jan 1869 445 622 62 141     1,270
    24 Feb 1871 445 622 62 141     1,270
    Total 445 622 62 141     1,270
1867 Baton Rouge National Cemetery 8 Jan 1869 2,258 489 173 3     2,923
    28 Feb 1871 2,258 489 173 3     2,923
    Total 2,258 489 173 3     2,923
1868 Chalmette National Cemetery 12 Dec 1868 4,969 5,384 1,651 179   132 12,315
    14 Feb 1871 5,156 5,307 1,622 177     12,262
    Total 5,156 5,307 1,622 177     12,262
1866 Port Hudson National Cemetery 10 Jan 1869 281 3,261 256       3,798
    27 Feb 1871 281 3,262 256       3,799
    Total 281 3,262 256       3,799
1862 Annapolis National Cemetery 9 Oct 1868 2,486 18 138 5     2,647
    13 July 1871 2,343 129 14 5     2,491
    Total 3,343 129 14 5     3,491
1865 Antietam National Cemetery 6 Oct 1868 2,894 1,793         4,687
    26 Sept 1870 2,984 1,793         4,687
    Total 2,894 1,793         4,687
1862 Loudon Park National Cemetery 1 Oct 1868 1,599 186         1,785
    21 July 1871 1,480 166     139   1,785
    Total 1,480 166     139   1,785
1866 Corinth National Cemetery 14 Feb 1869 1,775 3,591 18 287     5,671
    8 June 1871 1,905 3,474   288     5,667
    Total 1,905 3,474   288     5,667
1866 Natchez National Cemetery 18 Jan 1869 196 353 50 2,150     2,749
    4 March 1871 203 399 50 2,434     3,086
    Total 203 399 50 2,434     3,086
1866 Vicksburg National Cemetery 22 Jan 1869 3,299 6,649 130 5,458     15,536
    6 March 1871 3,482 6,953 147 6,004     16,586
    Total 3,482 6,953 147 6,004     16,586
1866 Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery 13 Aug 1868 6,723 881 23 1,044 1,010   9,681
    3 Nov 1870 6,693 843 23 1,044 1,010   9,613
    Total 6,693 843 23 1,044 1,010   9,613
1867 Springfield National Cemetery 20 Aug 1868 788 720         1,508
    26 May 1871 832 689         1,521
    Total 832 689         1,521
1867 Jefferson City National Cemetery 18 Aug 1868 328 307         635
    5 Nov 1870 331 313     3   647
    Total 331 313     3   647
1864 Beverly National Cemetery 1868 138 7 2       147
    23 Oct 1871 137 10         147
    Total 137 10         147
1875 Finn's Point National Cemetery 24 Sept 1868 10         1,434 1,444
1862 Cypress Hills National Cemetery 19 Sept 1868 2,890 69 199 3     3,161
    2 Sept 1870 2,891 69 199 3     3,162
    Total 2,890 69 199 3 461   3,622
1867 New Bern National Cemetery 2 Nov 1868 1,878 846 209 195     3,128
    28 April 1870 1,878 856 209 195     3,138
    Total 1,878 856 209 195     3,138
1871 Raleigh National Cemetery 31 Oct 1868 557 555 19 17     1,148
    16 Aug 1871 600 533 20 6     1,159
    Total 600 533 20 6     1,159
1865 Salisbury National Cemetery 1 Nov 1868 85 12,027         12,112
    18 Aug 1871 85 12,027         12,112
    Total 85 12,027         12,112
1867 Wilmington National Cemetery 4 Nov 1868 616 1,234 71 138     2,059
    13 May 1870 643 839 55 502     2,039
    Total 643 839 55 502     2,039
1863 Gettysburg National Cemetery 2 Oct 1868 1,931 1,633         3,564
    23 Aug 1871 1,931 1,633         3,564
    Total 1,931 1,633         3,564
1862 Philadelphia National Cemetery 18 Oct 1870 1,931 1,633         3,564
    Total 1,561 55 340   29   1,985
1868 Beaufort National Cemetery 9 Nov 1868 3,296 3,462 795 950     8,503
    17 May 1870 3,796 3,462 795 950     9,003
    Total 3,796 3,462 795 950     9,003
1865 Florence National Cemetery 5 Nov 1868 229 2,563         2,792
    14 May 1870 30 2,773         2,803
    Total 30 2,773         2,803
1863 Chattanooga National Cemetery 17 Nov 1868 7,886 4,169 758 20     12,833
    1 Dec 1870 7,810 4,169 861 20     12,860
    Total 7,810 4,169 861 20     12,860
1867 Ft Donelson National Cemetery 17 Feb 1869 153 503 4 8     668
    14 June 1871 153 503 4 8     668
    Total 158 503 4 8     673
1863 Knoxville National Cemetery 18 Nov 1868 1,990 1,007 73 68     3,138
    2 Dec 1870 1,990 1,007 73 68     3,138
    Total 1,990 1,007 73 68     3,138
1867 Memphis National Cemetery 12 Feb 1869 4,852 4,852 250 3,959     13,913
    6 June 1871 4,852 4,852 250 3,959     13,913
    Total 4,852 4,852 250 3,959     13,913
1866 Nashville National Cemetery 16 Feb 1869 10,338 3,506 1,447 463     15,754
    29 Nov 1870 10,338 3,509 1,447 463     15,757
    Total 10,338 3,509 1,447 463     15,757
1867 Shiloh National Military Park 15 Feb 1869 1,223 2,358   1     3,582
    9 June 1871 1,227 2,358   1     3,586
    Total 1,227 2,358   1     3,586
1865 Stones River National Cemetery 18 Feb 1869 3,750 2,184 102 85     6,121
    30 Nov 1870 3,750 2,202 85 102     6,139
    Total 3,750 2,202 102 85     6,139
1867 Brownsville National Cemetery 18 Dec 1868 230 231 692 813     1,966
    1871 540 245 973 950     2,708
    Total 540 245 973 950     2,708
1867 San Antonio National Cemetery 28 Dec 1868 130 50 7 4     191
    6 Feb 1871 171 81 7 4     263
    Total 171 81 7 4     263
1862 Alexandria National Cemetery 16 Oct 1868 3,205 92 243 6 21   3,567
    13 Oct 1871 3,277   249   29   3,555
    Total 3,277   243 6 33   3,559
1865 Arlington National Cemetery 10 May 1869 7,024 3,848 175 229 347   11,623
    21 Oct 1871 7,024 3,848 175 229 347   11,623
    Total 7,024 3,848 175 229 347   11,623
1865 Ball's Bluff National Cemetery 12 Oct 1868 1 53         54
    10 Aug 1871 1 53         54
    Total 1 53         54
1866 City Point National Cemetery 27 Oct 1868 2,971 816 782 587 118   5,274
    27 July 1871 2,937 850 782 587 151   5,307
    Total 2,937 850 782 587 151   5,307
1866 Cold Harbor National Cemetery 24 Oct 1868 676 1,247         1,923
    25 July 1871 676 1,275         1,951
    Total 676 1,275         1,951
1867 Culpeper National Cemetery 15 Oct 1868 447 880         1,327
    8 Aug 1871 448 901         1,349
    Total 448 901         1,349
1862 Danville National Cemetery 22 Oct 1868 1,125 131 37 11     1,304
    18 Aug 1871 1,125 131 37 12     1,305
    Total 1,125 131 37 12     1,305
1865 Fredericksburg National Cemetery 21 Oct 1868 3,293 12,676 2 2     15,973
    7 July 1871 2,395 12,842 2 2     15,241
    Total 2,395 12,842 2 2     15,241
1866 Ft Harrison National Cemetery 26 Oct 1868 178 408 61 167     814
    26 July 1871 239 575         814
    Total 239 575         814
1866 Glendale National Cemetery 26 Oct 1868 230 949 6 4     1,189
    26 July 1871 230 949 6 4     1,189
    Total 230 949 6 4     1,189
1866 Hampton National Cemetery 29 Nov 1868 3,610 402 985 57     5,054
    2 Aug 1871 3,610 408 985 57     5,060
    Total 3,610 408 985 57     5,060
1866 Poplar Grove National Cemetery 27 Oct 1868 1,984 3,633 60 226     5,903
    27 July 1871 1,969 3,888 60 226 15 23 6,181
    Total 1,969 3,888 60 226 15 23 6,181
1866 Richmond National Cemetery 26 Oct 1868 800 5,498 13       6,311
    24 July 1871 805 5665         6,470
    Total 805 5,665         6,470
1866 Seven Pines National Cemetery 24 Oct 1868 150 1,200   7     1,357
    25 July 1871 141 1,209   7     1,357
    Total 141 1,209   7     1,357
1866 Staunton National Cemetery 14 Oct 1868 231 518         749
    8 Aug 1871 231 518         749
    Total 231 518         749
1866 Winchester National Cemetery 4 Dec 1868 2,083 2,272 3 6     4,364
    9 Aug 1871 2,083 2,332 3 6     4,424
    Total 2,083 2,332 3 6     4,424
1866 Yorktown National Cemetery 28 Oct 1868 731 1,424 6 5     2,166
    15 Aug 1871 731 1,430 6 5     2,172
    Total 731 1,424 6 5     2,166
1867 Grafton National Cemetery 30 June 1868 628 616         1,244
    16 June 1871 639 613         1,252
    Total 639 613         1,252

 
 
 
 

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