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Cypress Hills National Cemetery: Difference between revisions
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|source=http://www.cem.va.gov/CEM/cems/nchp/cypresshills.asp | |source=http://www.cem.va.gov/CEM/cems/nchp/cypresshills.asp | ||
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'''Cypress Hills National Cemetery''' is a {{convert|18.2|acre|adj=on}} cemetery located in the [[Cypress Hills, Brooklyn|Cypress Hills]] neighborhood of [[Brooklyn]], | '''Cypress Hills National Cemetery''' is a {{convert|18.2|acre|adj=on}} cemetery located in the [[Cypress Hills, Brooklyn|Cypress Hills]] neighborhood of [[Brooklyn]], New York City. It 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 | There are 24 Medal of Honor recipients buried in the cemetery, including three men who received 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.<ref>[http://www.cem.va.gov/CEM/cems/nchp/cypresshills.asp US Dept of Veterans Affairs]. Administered by the [[United States Department of Veterans Affairs]], the National Cemetery is closed to new interments. The only interments that are being accepted are subsequent interments for veterans or eligible family members in an existing gravesite. Periodically however, burial space may become available due to a canceled reservation or when a disinterment has been completed. When either of these two scenarios occurs, the gravesite is made available to another eligible veteran on a first-come, first-served basis.</ref> | ||
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 [[#Sections|two sections of this national cemetery]] are located approximately one half-mile apart. | 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 [[#Sections|two sections of this national cemetery]] are located approximately one half-mile apart. | ||
== History == | == History == | ||
In 1849 the private [[Cypress Hills Cemetery]] 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 {{convert|2.7|acre}} 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 | In 1849 the private [[Cypress Hills Cemetery]] 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 {{convert|2.7|acre}} 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 States of America|Confederate]] prisoners of war were already buried here. Others were brought from cemeteries on [[Long Island Sound]] and as far away as Rhode Island. | ||
[[File:Cypress hills 27.jpg|thumb|right|Section 2, Cypress Hills National Cemetery.]] | [[File:Cypress hills 27.jpg|thumb|right|Section 2, Cypress Hills National Cemetery.]] | ||
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 {{convert|15.4|acre|adj=on}} parcel from Isaac Snediker, located approximately one half-mile away from the Union Grounds. | 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 {{convert|15.4|acre|adj=on}} parcel from Isaac Snediker, located approximately one half-mile away from the Union Grounds. | ||
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== Notable burials == | == Notable burials == | ||
[[File:Cypress hills 33.jpg|thumb|Medal of Honor recipient [[Henry Rodenburg]].]] | [[File:Cypress hills 33.jpg|thumb|Medal of Honor recipient [[Henry Rodenburg]].]] | ||
* There are 24 | * There are 24 Medal of Honor recipients interred at Cypress Hills | ||
Marine Sergeant [[John Mapes Adams]], for action during the [[Boxer Rebellion]] | Marine Sergeant [[John Mapes Adams]], for action during the [[Boxer Rebellion]] | ||
Coxswain [[John Laver Mather Cooper|John Cooper]], aka John Laver Mather, two time recipient. The first for action on board [[USS Brooklyn (1858)|USS ''Brooklyn'']] during the [[Battle of Mobile Bay]], and the second a year later while serving on Rear Admiral [[Henry K. Thatcher]]'s staff in [[Mobile, Alabama]] | Coxswain [[John Laver Mather Cooper|John Cooper]], aka John Laver Mather, two time recipient. The first for action on board [[USS Brooklyn (1858)|USS ''Brooklyn'']] during the [[Battle of Mobile Bay]], and the second a year later while serving on Rear Admiral [[Henry K. Thatcher]]'s staff in [[Mobile, Alabama]] | ||