Camp Butler National Cemetery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Camp Butler National Cemetery
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | 5063 Camp Butler Rd, Clear Lake Township, Sangamon County, Illinois |
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| Area | 39.2 acres (15.9 ha) |
| Built | 1865 |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements |
| MPS | Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 97000891 |
| Added to NRHP | August 15, 1997 |
Camp Butler National Cemetery is a special place where many brave American soldiers are buried. It's located near Springfield, in Sangamon County, Illinois. This cemetery is named after William Butler, who was an important state official. It's managed by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The cemetery covers about 53 acres and has over 19,825 burials. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997 because of its historical importance.
A Look Back at Camp Butler's History
During the Civil War, Camp Butler was a very important place. It was the second largest military training camp in Illinois. Only Camp Douglas in Chicago was bigger.
After President Lincoln asked for soldiers in 1861, the U.S. War Department sent General William T. Sherman to Springfield. He met with Governor Richard Yates. Their goal was to find a good spot for a training camp.
Governor Yates asked State Treasurer William Butler for help. William Butler and Ozias M. Hatch, the Secretary of State of Illinois, rode with General Sherman. They looked at land about five and a half miles northeast of downtown Springfield. An area near Riverton was chosen. It was then known as "Jimtown." The camp was named in honor of William Butler.
A training camp for Union soldiers officially opened there on August 2, 1861. By the end of the Civil War, over 200,000 Union troops had trained at Camp Butler.
Besides Civil War soldiers, veterans from other wars are also buried here. These include soldiers from the Spanish–American War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. There are also graves for German and Korean prisoners of war. They were moved here from a cemetery near Indianapolis, Indiana.
Camp Butler During the Civil War
At first, Camp Butler was used to train Illinois soldiers for the Civil War. But it soon had another important job. About 2,000 Confederate soldiers were captured at the Battle of Fort Donelson in Tennessee. They were brought to Camp Butler as prisoners in February 1862.
A special area was set aside to bury Confederate prisoners who died at the camp. Sadly, about 700 prisoners died in 1862. This was because of diseases like smallpox and poor living conditions. These prisoners were buried in their own Confederate section of the cemetery. Today, you can find 866 Confederate prisoner graves here.
The Confederate graves have unique pointed headstones. People believed this would stop the devil from sitting on the graves. These graves are next to 776 graves of Union soldiers. This means there are a total of 1,642 Civil War graves at Camp Butler.
Notable People Buried Here
Many important people are buried at Camp Butler National Cemetery. Here are a few:
- Seaman John H. Catherwood (1888–1930): He received the Medal of Honor for his bravery in the Philippine–American War.
- Jack D. Davis (1935–2018): He was a U.S. Representative.
- Frank S. Dickson (1876–1953): He also served as a U.S. Representative.
- Colonel Otis B. Duncan (1873–1937): He was the highest-ranking African American officer during World War I.
- Ray Ramsey (1921–2009): He was a professional football player.
