Alexandria National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery, of approximately 5.5 acres (2.2 ha), located in the city of Alexandria, Virginia. Administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, it is one of the original national cemeteries that were established in 1862. As of 2014, it was site to over 4,500 interments. The cemetery can accommodate the cremated remains of eligible individuals.
As one of the original national cemeteries, it served as the burial grounds for mostly Union soldiers who died in the numerous hospitals around the Alexandria area, but by 1864 it was almost filled to capacity. This led to the development of the Arlington National Cemetery. The remains of 39 Confederates, originally buried in the cemetery during the Civil War, were disinterred by the Daughters of the Confederacy in 1879. The remains were reinterred in Christ Church cemetery.
Following the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln in April 1865, four civilian members of the Alexandria Fire Department were among twenty men hired by the Union Army's Quartermaster Corp to man the Black Diamond canal barge on the Potomac River. As part of the manhunt for John Wilkes Booth, the Black Diamond was to patrol the river stopping any vessels that could be attempting to transport Booth across the Potomac into Virginia.
As the Black Diamond was anchored around midnight, April 23, 1865 it was struck by the USS Massachusettes. The four civilian firefighters, Peter Carroll, Christopher Farley, Samuel Gosnell, and George Huntington, died as a result of the collision. As they were in service to their country, they were bestowed the honor of being buried alongside Union soldiers in Arlington National Cemetery.
alexandria, national, cemetery, virginia, alexandria, national, cemetery, united, states, national, cemetery, approximately, acres, located, city, alexandria, virginia, administered, united, states, department, veterans, affairs, original, national, cemeteries. Alexandria National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery of approximately 5 5 acres 2 2 ha located in the city of Alexandria Virginia Administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs it is one of the original national cemeteries that were established in 1862 As of 2014 it was site to over 4 500 interments The cemetery can accommodate the cremated remains of eligible individuals Alexandria National CemeteryU S National Register of Historic PlacesVirginia Landmarks RegisterAlexandria National Cemetery in the background behind the second stone wall may be seen some of the older burialsShow map of Alexandria Historical DistrictShow map of VirginiaShow map of the United StatesLocation1450 Wilkes St Alexandria VirginiaCoordinates38 48 07 N 77 03 29 W 38 80194 N 77 05806 W 38 80194 77 05806Area5 5 acres 2 2 ha Built1862ArchitectMeigs Montgomery C Architectural styleItalianate Second EmpireMPSCivil War Era National Cemeteries MPSNRHP reference No 95000106 1 VLR No 100 0138Significant datesAdded to NRHPMarch 2 1995Designated VLROctober 19 1994 2 VA interpretive sign about Alexandria National Cemetery Contents 1 History 2 Notable interments 3 References 4 External linksHistory editAs one of the original national cemeteries it served as the burial grounds for mostly Union soldiers who died in the numerous hospitals around the Alexandria area but by 1864 it was almost filled to capacity This led to the development of the Arlington National Cemetery The remains of 39 Confederates originally buried in the cemetery during the Civil War were disinterred by the Daughters of the Confederacy in 1879 The remains were reinterred in Christ Church cemetery Alexandria National Cemetery was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1995 Notable interments editFollowing the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln in April 1865 four civilian members of the Alexandria Fire Department were among twenty men hired by the Union Army s Quartermaster Corp to man the Black Diamond canal barge on the Potomac River As part of the manhunt for John Wilkes Booth the Black Diamond was to patrol the river stopping any vessels that could be attempting to transport Booth across the Potomac into Virginia As the Black Diamond was anchored around midnight April 23 1865 it was struck by the USS Massachusettes The four civilian firefighters Peter Carroll Christopher Farley Samuel Gosnell and George Huntington died as a result of the collision As they were in service to their country they were bestowed the honor of being buried alongside Union soldiers in Arlington National Cemetery References edit National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service March 13 2009 Virginia Landmarks Register Virginia Department of Historic Resources Archived from the original on 2013 09 21 Retrieved 12 May 2013 External links edit nbsp Media related to Alexandria National Cemetery Virginia at Wikimedia Commons National Cemetery Administration Alexandria National Cemetery in Virginia Historic American Landscapes Survey HALS No VA 2 Alexandria National Cemetery 1450 Wilkes Street Alexandria Independent City VA U S Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System Alexandria National Cemetery Alexandria National Cemetery at Find a Grave nbsp Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alexandria National Cemetery Virginia amp oldid 1191086321, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
