Hampton National Cemetery facts for kids

Hampton National Cemetery
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Hampton National Cemetery
Location in Virginia Show map of Virginia Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Jct. of Cemetery Rd. and Marshall Ave., Hampton, Virginia
Area	27.1 acres (11.0 ha)
Architectural style	Colonial Revival
MPS	Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
NRHP reference No.	96000038
Quick facts for kids Significant dates
Added to NRHP	February 26, 1996

The Hampton National Cemetery is a special burial ground in Hampton, Virginia. It is a United States National Cemetery, which means it's a place where brave people who served our country are laid to rest. The cemetery covers about 27 acres. As of 2005, over 27,000 people were buried there.

This cemetery has two separate parts. The older part is called the "Hampton Section." It is located on Cemetery Road in Hampton, Virginia, west of I-64. The newer part is known as the "Phoebus Addition" or "Phoebus Section." It is on West County Street, east of I-64. This section is less than a mile from the original cemetery. Both parts of the Hampton National Cemetery are now full and do not accept new burials.

History of the Cemetery

The first burials at Hampton National Cemetery happened in 1862. Most of these were Union soldiers. They had died while serving in the American Civil War or at the hospital at Fort Monroe. The cemetery officially became a National Cemetery in 1866.

While it mostly holds Union soldiers, there is also a special section for 272 Confederate soldiers.

Hampton National Cemetery also has the graves of World War II prisoners of war. Fifty-five of these were German soldiers, and five were Italian. You can also find the remains of 28 sailors from a German submarine here. This submarine was the German submarine U-85. It was sunk by the USS Roper near Cape Hatteras in 1942.

The Hampton National Cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 26, 1996. This means it is recognized as an important historical site.

Important Monuments

• The Union Soldiers Monument is a very tall monument. It is a 65-foot-tall granite obelisk, which is a tall, four-sided stone pillar.

Notable People Buried Here

Many brave individuals are buried at Hampton National Cemetery. Some of them received the Medal of Honor, which is the highest military award for bravery.

• Private Daniel A. Bean (1846-1864): He was the first Union soldier from Brownfield, Maine, to die in the Civil War.
• Landsman Michael Cassidy: He received the Medal of Honor for his brave actions during the Battle of Mobile Bay in the Civil War. He is buried in Phoebus, Section B, Grave 9503.
• Ordinary Seaman John Davis (1854-1903): He earned the Medal of Honor for his service on the USS Trenton in 1881, during peacetime.
• Coal Heaver James R. Garrison: He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Mobile Bay during the Civil War. He is buried in Phoebus, Section B, Grave 9523.
• Sergeant Alfred B. Hilton (1842-1864): He received the Medal of Honor for his bravery at the Battle of Chaffin's Farm during the Civil War. He rests in Hampton, Section E, Grave 1231.
• First Sergeant Harry J. Mandy (1840-1904): He earned the Medal of Honor for his actions at Front Royal, Virginia during the Civil War. He is buried in Phoebus, Section C, Grave 8709.
• First Lieutenant Ruppert L. Sargent (1938-1967): He was a Medal of Honor recipient for his bravery during the Vietnam War. He is buried in Hampton Section F-I, Grave 7596.
• Private Charles Veale (1838-1872): He received the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Chaffin's Farm during the Civil War. He is buried in Hampton, Section F, Grave 5097.
• Coxswain David Warren: He earned the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Civil War while serving on the USS Monticello. He is buried in Phoebus, Section C, Grave 7972.

German Submarine U-85 Crew Members Buried at Hampton National Cemetery