Cypress Hills National Cemetery
Encyclopedia
Cypress Hills National Cemetery is the only United States National Cemetery
in New York City
and has more than 21,100 interments of veterans and civilians. There are 24 Medal of Honor
recipients buried in the cemetery, including three men who won the award twice. Although Cypress Hills was established to honor Civil War
veterans, its grounds include the graves of soldiers who fought in the American Revolutionary War
, Spanish-American War
, Korean War
and Vietnam War
.
Cypress Hills National Cemetery opened in 1862 and gravesites were exhausted in 1954. However, burials of veteran’s spouses continues at the rate of approximately ten per year. The two sections of this national cemetery are located approximately one half mile apart (see below, three sections of Cypress Hills).
The cemetery is located in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn
, and encompasses 18.2 acres (74,000 m2). It is easily reached on the J line at the Cypress Hills station
, approximately 45 minutes from Manhattan.
was established as a nonsectarian burial ground. On April 21, 1862, the cemetery’s board of directors acted upon the request of undertaker A. J. Case to establish a place for burial of United States veterans who died in Brooklyn and the vicinity. With the American Civil War
underway, a location was needed for casualties who died in New York hospitals. The board of directors authorized 2.7 acres (11,100 m2) for deceased veterans and was known colloquially as the Union Grounds. Private Alfred Mitchell, a young soldier of the 1st New York Engineers who died on April 13, 1862, was the first Civil War casualty to be interred in the new Union Grounds. Eight years later, an inspection report noted that 3,170 Union
soldiers and 461 Confederate
prisoners of war were already buried here. Others were brought from cemeteries on Long Island Sound
and as far away as Rhode Island.
In 1870 the private Cypress Hills Cemetery Association deeded the Union Grounds property to the federal government for a consideration of $9,600. Three years later, Congress approved a change in legislation to extend burial rights to honorably discharged soldiers, sailors, and Marines who served in the war. This would necessitate a larger cemetery location for the Brooklyn location. To accommodate the large number of burial requests, the government sought to expand the cemetery. Congress balked at the price asked by the Cypress Hills Cemetery Association, so it went outside the cemetery’s boundaries for a new tract. In 1884 the government purchased a 15.4 acres (62,321.6 m²) parcel from Isaac Snediker, located approximately one half mile away from the Union Grounds.
These two parcels were joined by a third piece of the private Cypress Hills Cemetery. On Sept. 17, 1941, a 0.06 acres (242.8 m²) parcel known as The Mount of Victory was donated to the United States by the State of New York. There are approximately one dozen graves in this plot, most from the War of 1812
. These three parcels combined equal 18.2 acres (73,652.9 m²), and make up the Cypress Hills National Cemetery.
By the 1950s the area for burials was running out. The government decided that henceforth all New York City area veterans, and spouses, would be interred at the Long Island National Cemetery
in Suffolk County, New York
. Today the administration of the cemetery is the responsibility of the Farmingdale staff. Cypress Hills National Cemetery has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
since 1997.
Cypress Hills National Cemetery opened in 1862, the same year as Mill Springs National Cemetery
in Kentucky
, the oldest active national cemetery in the United States. Cypress Hills National Cemetery is two years older than Arlington National Cemetery
.
Located on the east slope of the Ridgewood Reservoir
, the Union Grounds are in the southwest portion of Cypress Hills Cemetery
, 833 Jamaica Avenue
. There are more than 3,170 Union soldiers and sailors, and more than 461 captured or surrendered Confederates buried in the Union Grounds. Over the years the bowl-shaped space accepted veterans from other conflicts, up through World War I. Re-interments from other cemeteries added more graves. Most other interments, however, were largely local in nature, due to the cemetery's location in New York State (which contributed the largest numbers of fighting forces in the Civil War) and the adjacent proximity of the cemetery to New York City, the nation's most populous and hence the prime source of Federal enlistments for the war effort.
The Mount of Victory (within Cypress Hill Cemetery)
Several hundred yards southeast of the Union Grounds, at one of the highest parts of Cypress Hill Cemetery, is another section of the national cemetery. Less than an acre and possessing less than 30 graves, The Mount of Victory is the smallest parcel of federal land. It is dominated by the Eagle Monument (see below), and is easily visible from West Dolorosa Road. Many of those buried here are veterans of the War of 1812
. The Mount of Victory is in Section 2 of the cemetery nearby West Dolorosa Road.
Cypress Hills National Cemetery
The largest of the three sections of the national cemetery is located at 625 Jamaica Avenue. Visitors enter through decorative wrought iron gates constructed in 1886. The visitors lodge, built in 1887, is on the right. This Queen Anne style building has an office, meeting room and museum. There is a grave locator outside the lodge door. This section of the cemetery contains approximately 15,000 graves. Although the parcel is quite narrow, it is long, and leads to a hilltop. The cemetery is divided into 16 sections.
There are 24 Medal of Honor recipients interred in Cypress Hills National Cemetery.
to 833 Jamaica Avenue (Cypress Hills). Drive up Lake Road to West Dolorosa to the Mount of Victory; the Union Fields are located on Veterans Way. One half mile southwest at 625 Jamaica Avenue is the National Cemetery.
By train/walking: J train to Cypress Hills, walk across the street to Cypress Hills. To visit the national cemetery, exit on the south side of the platform and walk southwest on Jamaica Avenue approximately one half mile; you will walk past Salem Fields cemetery and cross Cypress Hills Street.
United States National Cemetery
"United States National Cemetery" is a designation for 146 nationally important cemeteries in the United States. A National Cemetery is generally a military cemetery containing the graves of U.S. military personnel, veterans and their spouses but not exclusively so...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and has more than 21,100 interments of veterans and civilians. There are 24 Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipients buried in the cemetery, including three men who won the award twice. Although Cypress Hills was established to honor Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
veterans, its grounds include the graves of soldiers who fought in the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
, Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
and Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
Cypress Hills National Cemetery opened in 1862 and gravesites were exhausted in 1954. However, burials of veteran’s spouses continues at the rate of approximately ten per year. The two sections of this national cemetery are located approximately one half mile apart (see below, three sections of Cypress Hills).
The cemetery is located in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn
Cypress Hills, Brooklyn
Cypress Hills is a sub-section of the East New York neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York City, lying north of City Line and south of Cypress Hills Cemetery, in the far northeastern corner of Brooklyn. It is abutted on the west by Bushwick and on the east, across the Brooklyn–Queens border, by...
, and encompasses 18.2 acres (74,000 m2). It is easily reached on the J line at the Cypress Hills station
Cypress Hills (BMT Jamaica Line)
Cypress Hills is a skip-stop station on the BMT Jamaica Line of the New York City Subway, located on Jamaica Avenue in the Cypress Hills neighborhood of northeastern Brooklyn. It is served by the J train at all times. The Z train bypasses when it operates.This is the northernmost station in...
, approximately 45 minutes from Manhattan.
History
In 1849 the private Cypress Hills CemeteryCypress Hills Cemetery, Brooklyn
Cypress Hills Cemetery was the first non-sectarian/non-denominational cemetery corporation organized in the Brooklyn/Queens area of New York City. The Cemetery is run as a non-for-profit organization and is located at 833 Jamaica Avenue in Brooklyn...
was established as a nonsectarian burial ground. On April 21, 1862, the cemetery’s board of directors acted upon the request of undertaker A. J. Case to establish a place for burial of United States veterans who died in Brooklyn and the vicinity. With the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
underway, a location was needed for casualties who died in New York hospitals. The board of directors authorized 2.7 acres (11,100 m2) for deceased veterans and was known colloquially as the Union Grounds. Private Alfred Mitchell, a young soldier of the 1st New York Engineers who died on April 13, 1862, was the first Civil War casualty to be interred in the new Union Grounds. Eight years later, an inspection report noted that 3,170 Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
soldiers and 461 Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
prisoners of war were already buried here. Others were brought from cemeteries on Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
and as far away as Rhode Island.
In 1870 the private Cypress Hills Cemetery Association deeded the Union Grounds property to the federal government for a consideration of $9,600. Three years later, Congress approved a change in legislation to extend burial rights to honorably discharged soldiers, sailors, and Marines who served in the war. This would necessitate a larger cemetery location for the Brooklyn location. To accommodate the large number of burial requests, the government sought to expand the cemetery. Congress balked at the price asked by the Cypress Hills Cemetery Association, so it went outside the cemetery’s boundaries for a new tract. In 1884 the government purchased a 15.4 acres (62,321.6 m²) parcel from Isaac Snediker, located approximately one half mile away from the Union Grounds.
These two parcels were joined by a third piece of the private Cypress Hills Cemetery. On Sept. 17, 1941, a 0.06 acres (242.8 m²) parcel known as The Mount of Victory was donated to the United States by the State of New York. There are approximately one dozen graves in this plot, most from the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. These three parcels combined equal 18.2 acres (73,652.9 m²), and make up the Cypress Hills National Cemetery.
By the 1950s the area for burials was running out. The government decided that henceforth all New York City area veterans, and spouses, would be interred at the Long Island National Cemetery
Long Island National Cemetery
Long Island National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in Suffolk County, New York. Its mailing address is Farmingdale. It is within the CDPS of Wyandanch, in the Town of Babylon, and Melville in the Town of Huntington...
in Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York on the eastern portion of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,493,350. It was named for the county of Suffolk in England, from which its earliest settlers came...
. Today the administration of the cemetery is the responsibility of the Farmingdale staff. Cypress Hills National Cemetery has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
since 1997.
Cypress Hills National Cemetery opened in 1862, the same year as Mill Springs National Cemetery
Mill Springs National Cemetery
Mill Springs National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in the town of Nancy, eight miles west of the city of Somerset in Pulaski County, Kentucky...
in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, the oldest active national cemetery in the United States. Cypress Hills National Cemetery is two years older than Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
.
Three sections of Cypress Hills
The Union Grounds (within Cypress Hill Cemetery)Located on the east slope of the Ridgewood Reservoir
Ridgewood Reservoir
Ridgewood Reservoir is a decommissioned 19th century reservoir that sits on the Brooklyn-Queens border and is part of Highland Park. The reservoir and park are bounded on the north by the Jackie Robinson Parkway, on the south by Highland Boulevard, on the west by Vermont Place and on the east by...
, the Union Grounds are in the southwest portion of Cypress Hills Cemetery
Cypress Hills Cemetery, Brooklyn
Cypress Hills Cemetery was the first non-sectarian/non-denominational cemetery corporation organized in the Brooklyn/Queens area of New York City. The Cemetery is run as a non-for-profit organization and is located at 833 Jamaica Avenue in Brooklyn...
, 833 Jamaica Avenue
Jamaica Avenue
Jamaica Avenue is a major avenue in the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens in New York City, New York, in the United States. Jamaica Avenue starts at Broadway and Fulton Street in the East New York neighborhood in Brooklyn, and goes to the city line in Bellerose, Queens, where it becomes Jericho...
. There are more than 3,170 Union soldiers and sailors, and more than 461 captured or surrendered Confederates buried in the Union Grounds. Over the years the bowl-shaped space accepted veterans from other conflicts, up through World War I. Re-interments from other cemeteries added more graves. Most other interments, however, were largely local in nature, due to the cemetery's location in New York State (which contributed the largest numbers of fighting forces in the Civil War) and the adjacent proximity of the cemetery to New York City, the nation's most populous and hence the prime source of Federal enlistments for the war effort.
The Mount of Victory (within Cypress Hill Cemetery)
Several hundred yards southeast of the Union Grounds, at one of the highest parts of Cypress Hill Cemetery, is another section of the national cemetery. Less than an acre and possessing less than 30 graves, The Mount of Victory is the smallest parcel of federal land. It is dominated by the Eagle Monument (see below), and is easily visible from West Dolorosa Road. Many of those buried here are veterans of the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. The Mount of Victory is in Section 2 of the cemetery nearby West Dolorosa Road.
Cypress Hills National Cemetery
The largest of the three sections of the national cemetery is located at 625 Jamaica Avenue. Visitors enter through decorative wrought iron gates constructed in 1886. The visitors lodge, built in 1887, is on the right. This Queen Anne style building has an office, meeting room and museum. There is a grave locator outside the lodge door. This section of the cemetery contains approximately 15,000 graves. Although the parcel is quite narrow, it is long, and leads to a hilltop. The cemetery is divided into 16 sections.
Notable monuments
There are several notable monuments in Cypress Hills. These are listed in the order that they were erected:- The 1881 Garfield Memorial Oak Tree (Union Grounds, Section 1 F, on Cypress Way and Metropolitan Way). On Nov. 3, 1881, the James A. Garfield Oak Society of Brooklyn planted a oak in honor of the slain 20th President of the United States. Following a storm in 1944 that damaged the oak, a new one was planted. At one time an iron fence encircled the memorial.
- The Ringgold Monument (Union Grounds, Section 1B). This large obelisk was erected by veterans who served under Colonel Benjamin Ringgold’s command in the Civil War.
- British Navy Monument (Section 2, Grave No. 36). In 1908 workers at Fort Hancock, New JerseyFort Hancock, New JerseyFort Hancock is a former United States Army fort at Sandy Hook, located in Middletown Township in Monmouth County, along the Atlantic coast of eastern New Jersey in the United States. This coastal artillery base played an important part in the defense of New York Harbor and played a role in the...
, uncovered a buried earthen brick vault with the remains of a number of men. It was determined this was the crew of a British Navy vessel that perished in 1783 while sailing homeward following the Revolutionary War. On March 5, 1909, the remains were moved to Cypress Hills and interred in a single grave. The headstone—a large granite monument that bears the names of 14 men—was erected in 1939.
- The French Cross to honor French Sailors (Section 3). This 12-foot (3.7 m) granite cross was erected in memory of 25 sailors of the Republic of France Navy who died when their ammunition ship blew up in New York HarborNew York HarborNew York Harbor refers to the waterways of the estuary near the mouth of the Hudson River that empty into New York Bay. It is one of the largest natural harbors in the world. Although the U.S. Board of Geographic Names does not use the term, New York Harbor has important historical, governmental,...
in October 1918. The remains of three sailors were repatriated to France; 22 are interred in Cypress Hills. Each has a gray granite headstone with a bronze plaque on top.
- Second Division AEF Monument (in front of rostrum).
- The Eagle Monument (Cypress Hills Section 2, The Mount of Victory). This unique hand-crafted monument of fieldstones was created by cemetery laborers around 1934. An American eagle, carved in stone was placed atop the stone pyramid.
Medal of Honor recipients
- Marine Sergeant John Mapes AdamsJohn Mapes AdamsJohn Mapes Adams was an American Marine who received the Medal of Honor for valor during the Boxer Rebellion. He served in the Marine Corps under the alias of George Lawrence Day.-Biography:...
, Medal of Honor recipient for action during the Boxer RebellionBoxer RebellionThe Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
. Section 2, Grave 8262.
- Coxswain John CooperJohn Laver Mather CooperJohn Cooper was a member of the United States Navy. He is one of only nineteen people who have received the Medal of Honor twice....
, aka John Laver Mather, two time Medal of Honor recipient. The first for action on board USS BrooklynUSS Brooklyn (1858)USS Brooklyn was a sloop-of-war authorized by the U.S. Congress and commissioned in 1859. Brooklyn was active in Caribbean operations until the start of the American Civil War at which time she became an active participant in the Union blockade of the Confederate States of America.With her one...
during the Battle of Mobile BayBattle of Mobile BayThe Battle of Mobile Bay of August 5, 1864, was an engagement of the American Civil War in which a Federal fleet commanded by Rear Adm. David G. Farragut, assisted by a contingent of soldiers, attacked a smaller Confederate fleet led by Adm...
, and the second a year later while serving on Rear Admiral Henry K. ThatcherHenry K. ThatcherHenry Knox Thatcher was a rear admiral in the United States Navy, who served during the American Civil War.-Early life and career:...
's staff in Mobile, AlabamaMobile, AlabamaMobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
. Section 2, Grave 7410.
- Army Sergeant Wilbur E. ColyerWilbur E. ColyerWilbur E. Colyer was an American soldier serving in the U.S. Army during World War I who received the Medal of Honor for bravery.-Biography:...
, Medal of Honor recipient for action at the Battle of VerdunBattle of VerdunThe Battle of Verdun was one of the major battles during the First World War on the Western Front. It was fought between the German and French armies, from 21 February – 18 December 1916, on hilly terrain north of the city of Verdun-sur-Meuse in north-eastern France...
during World War I. Section 2, Grave 8588.
- Marine Sergeant Major Daniel Joseph DalyDaniel DalySergeant Major Daniel Joseph "Dan" Daly was a United States Marine and one of only nineteen men to have received the Medal of Honor twice...
, two time Medal of Honor recipient. The first for action in the Boxer Rebellion, and the second for action in HaitiHaitiHaiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
in 1915. Section 5, Grave 70.
- Marine Private James DoughertyJames Dougherty (Medal of Honor)James Dougherty was a U.S. Marine in the 1871 Korean Campaign. He received the Medal of Honor for actions during the Korean Expedition, while serving as a private aboard . His Medal of Honor was issued on February 8, 1872...
, Medal of Honor recipient for action aboard USS Carondelet (second ship by that name) in Korea in 1871. Section 6, Grave 12374.
- Army Private Christopher FreemeyerChristopher FreemeyerPrivate Christopher Freemeyer was a German-born soldier in the U.S. Army who served with the 5th U.S. Infantry during the Indian Wars. He was one of thirty-one men who received the Medal of Honor for gallantry during General Nelson A...
, Medal of Honor recipient for action in Montana TerritoryMontana TerritoryThe Territory of Montana was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 28, 1864, until November 8, 1889, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Montana.-History:...
during the Indian WarsIndian WarsAmerican Indian Wars is the name used in the United States to describe a series of conflicts between American settlers or the federal government and the native peoples of North America before and after the American Revolutionary War. The wars resulted from the arrival of European colonizers who...
. Section 2, Grave 5259.
- Army Sergeant Major Frederick W. GerberFrederick W. GerberFrederick William Gerber was a German-American soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his 32 years of service in the US Army. He is one of only two people who received the Medal of Honor for his entire career rather than a single action...
, Medal of Honor recipient for 32 years of service to the US Army during the Indian WarsIndian WarsAmerican Indian Wars is the name used in the United States to describe a series of conflicts between American settlers or the federal government and the native peoples of North America before and after the American Revolutionary War. The wars resulted from the arrival of European colonizers who...
. Section 2, Grave 1601.
- Army Sergeant Patrick GoldenPatrick GoldenPatrick Golden was an Irish-born soldier in the U.S. Army who served with the 8th U.S. Cavalry during the Indian Wars...
, Medal of Honor recipient for action in the Arizona TerritoryArizona TerritoryThe Territory of Arizona was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 24, 1863 until February 14, 1912, when it was admitted to the Union as the 48th state....
during the Indian Wars. Section 2, Grave 4316.
- Army First Sergeant Edward P. Grimes, Medal of Honor recipient for action in Colorado TerritoryColorado TerritoryThe Territory of Colorado was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 28, 1861, until August 1, 1876, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Colorado....
during the Indian Wars. Section 2, Grave 7210.
- Army Sergeant Bernhard JetterBernhard JetterBernhard Jetter was a German-born soldier in the U.S. Army who served with the 7th U.S. Cavalry during the Indian Wars. He was one of twenty-four men received the Medal of Honor for gallantry against the Sioux at the Battle of Wounded Knee in South Dakota on December 29, 1890.-Biography:Bernhard...
, Medal of Honor recipient for action during the Indian WarsIndian WarsAmerican Indian Wars is the name used in the United States to describe a series of conflicts between American settlers or the federal government and the native peoples of North America before and after the American Revolutionary War. The wars resulted from the arrival of European colonizers who...
. Section 5, Grave 1.
- Chief Watertender Johannes J. JohannessenJohannes J. JohannessenJohannes J. Johannessen was a sailor serving in the United States Navy who received the Medal of Honor for bravery.-Biography:...
, Medal of Honor recipient for peace time service aboard USS IowaUSS Iowa (BB-4)| The second half of the 19th century saw radical changes in shipbuilding design. Wood-built sailing ships with cannons were replaced by steam-powered warships armored with steel...
. Section 2, Grave 7425.
- Lieutenant Mons MonssenMons MonssenMons Monssen was a sailor in the United States Navy who received the Medal of Honor for heroism while serving about the .-Biography:...
, Medal of Honor recipient for peace time service aboard USS MissouriUSS Missouri (BB-11)USS Missouri , a Maine-class battleship, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named in honor of the 24th state....
. Section OS, Grave 190.
- Army Sergeant John NihillJohn NihillJohn Nihill was an Irish-born soldier in the U.S. Army who served with the 5th U.S. Cavalry during the Indian Wars. A participant in the Apache Wars, he received the Medal of Honor for bravery when he single-handedly fought off four Apache warriors in the Whetstone Mountains of Arizona on July 13,...
, Medal of Honor recipient for action in Arizona Territory during the Indian Wars. Section 2, Grave 6640.
- Quartermaster Third Class Anton OlsenAnton Olsen (U.S. Navy)Ordinary Seaman Anton Olsen was a United States Navy quartermaster who received the Medal of Honor.-Medal of Honor recipients:...
, Medal of Honor recipient for action aboard USS MarbleheadUSS Marblehead (C-11)The second USS Marblehead was an unarmored cruiser in the United States Navy which served in the Spanish-American War and World War I....
during the Spanish-American WarSpanish-American WarThe Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
. Section 2, Grave 9158.
- Army Private Henry RodenburgHenry RodenburgHenry Rodenburg was a United States Army soldier received the Medal of Honor. His award came for gallantry in the Indian Wars.-Biography:Rodenburg was born in Germany in 1851...
, Medal of Honor recipient for action in Montana Territory during the Indian Wars. Section 2, Grave 5825.
- Army Sergeant Valentine Rossbach, Medal of Honor recipient for action at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court HouseBattle of Spotsylvania Court HouseThe Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, sometimes simply referred to as the Battle of Spotsylvania , was the second major battle in Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Overland Campaign of the American Civil War. Following the bloody but inconclusive Battle of the Wilderness, Grant's army disengaged...
during the Civil War. Section 2, Grave 5427.
- Chief Watertender Eugene P. SmithEugene P. Smith-External links:...
, Medal of Honor recipient for peace time service aboard USS DecaturUSS Decatur (DD-5)The second USS Decatur was a Bainbridge-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She was named in honor of Stephen Decatur.Decatur was launched on 26 September 1900 by William R. Trigg Company, Richmond, Virginia; sponsored by Miss M. D...
. Section 2, Grave 7742.
- Gunner’s Mate First Class Wilhelm SmithWilhelm SmithWilhelm Smith was a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor.-Biography:...
, Medal of Honor recipient for peace time service aboard USS New YorkUSS New York (BB-34)USS New York was a United States Navy battleship, the lead ship of her class of two . She was the fifth ship to carry her name....
. Section 2, Grave 9492.
- Marine Gunnery Sergeant Peter StewartPeter Stewart (Medal of Honor recipient)Gunnery Sergeant Peter Stewart was a member of the United States Marine Corps and a recipient of the Medal of Honor.He was one a group of U.S...
, Medal of Honor recipient for action during the Boxer Rebellion. Section 2, Grave 7303.
- Army Private James W. Webb, Medal of Honor recipient for action at the Second Battle of Bull RunSecond Battle of Bull RunThe Second Battle of Bull Run or Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive campaign waged by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia against Union Maj. Gen...
during the Civil War. Section 2, Grave 7410.
- Army First Sergeant Henry WilkensHenry WilkensHenry Wilkens or Wilkins was a German-born soldier in the U.S. Army who served with the 2nd U.S. Cavalry during the Nez Perce War. In the summer of 1877, he received the Medal of Honor for two separate engagements, Little Muddy Creek and Camas Meadows, against Lame Deer and the Nez Perce in the...
, Medal of Honor recipient for action in Montana Territory during the Indian Wars. Section 2, Grave 5325.
- Seaman Louis Williams, aka Ludwig Andreas OlsenLudwig Andreas OlsenLudwig Andreas Olsen , also known as Louis Williams, was a United States Navy sailor and one of only 19 people to ever be awarded two Medals of Honor. Both awards were for peace-time actions rescuing fellow seamen.-Biography:Olsen was born in Oslo, Norway, in 1845. He joined the Navy in California...
, two time Medal of Honor recipient. Both medals were for peace time service aboard USS LackawannaUSS Lackawanna (1862)The first USS Lackawanna was a screw sloop-of-war in the Union Navy during the American Civil War.Lackawanna was launched by the New York Navy Yard on 9 August 1862; sponsored by Ms. Imogen Page Cooper; and commissioned on 8 January 1863, Captain John B. Marchand in command...
. Section 2, Grave 12616.
Other notable interments
- General Thomas W. EganThomas W. EganThomas Wilberforce Egan was a Union Army officer who led the Mozart Regiment during most of the American Civil War, later becoming a general.-Early life :...
, 40th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment40th New York Volunteer Infantry RegimentThe 40th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, also known as the "Mozart Regiment" or the "Constitution Guard", was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:...
, Civil War.
- William "Wild Bill" LovettBill LovettWilliam "Wild Bill" Lovett was an Irish-American gangster in early 20th century New York.-Beginnings:Born in New York City, Lovett first fell in with the local Irish gangs around the Brooklyn waterfront as a teenager. The day after America's entry into World War I, Lovett enlisted in the U.S. Army...
, leader of the White Hand GangWhite Hand GangThe White Hand Gang was a collection of various Irish American gangs on the New York, Brooklyn, and Red Hook waterfronts from the early 1900s to 1925 who organized against the growing influence of Italian gangsters...
, veteran of World War I.
- Sergeant John Martin, aka Giovanni Martini, the last European AmericanEuropean AmericanA European American is a citizen or resident of the United States who has origins in any of the original peoples of Europe...
to see Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong CusterGeorge Armstrong CusterGeorge Armstrong Custer was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. Raised in Michigan and Ohio, Custer was admitted to West Point in 1858, where he graduated last in his class...
alive at the Battle of the Little Big Horn.
Location and directions
By car: Jackie Robinson ParkwayJackie Robinson Parkway
The Jackie Robinson Parkway is a parkway in the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. The western terminus of the parkway is at Jamaica Avenue in the Brooklyn neighborhood of East New York. It runs through Highland Park, along the north side of Ridgewood Reservoir, and through Forest Park...
to 833 Jamaica Avenue (Cypress Hills). Drive up Lake Road to West Dolorosa to the Mount of Victory; the Union Fields are located on Veterans Way. One half mile southwest at 625 Jamaica Avenue is the National Cemetery.
By train/walking: J train to Cypress Hills, walk across the street to Cypress Hills. To visit the national cemetery, exit on the south side of the platform and walk southwest on Jamaica Avenue approximately one half mile; you will walk past Salem Fields cemetery and cross Cypress Hills Street.
See also
- United States Department of Veterans AffairsUnited States Department of Veterans AffairsThe United States Department of Veterans Affairs is a government-run military veteran benefit system with Cabinet-level status. It is the United States government’s second largest department, after the United States Department of Defense...
- United States National Cemetery