Finn's Point National Cemetery

Finn's Point National Cemetery
Confederate Monument
Details
Established 1863
Location Pennsville, New Jersey
Country United States
Type Military Veterans
Owned by US Department of Veterans Affairs
Size 115 acres (47 ha)
No. of graves 3,033
Website Finn's Point National Cemetery
Find a Grave Finn's Point National Cemetery
Fort Mott and Finns Point National Cemetery District
Coordinates 39°36′40″N 75°33′20″W / 39.61111°N 75.55556°W / 39.61111; -75.55556Coordinates: 39°36′40″N 75°33′20″W / 39.61111°N 75.55556°W / 39.61111; -75.55556
Area 64.4 acres (261,000 m2)
Built 1863
Architectural style Greek Revival
NRHP reference # 78001793[1]
NJRHP # 2442[2]
Significant dates
Added to NRHP August 31, 1978
Designated NJRHP September 6, 1973

Finn's Point National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in Pennsville Township, Salem County, New Jersey, United States. It encompasses 4.6 acres (1.9 ha), and as of February 2009, had 3,033 interments. Adjacent to Fort Mott, it is governed by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and administered by the Washington Crossing National Cemetery.

History

Originally purchased by the federal government to build a battery to protect the port of Philadelphia, the land became a cemetery by 1863 for Confederate prisoners of war who died while in captivity at Fort Delaware. One hundred and thirty five Union soldiers who died while serving as guards at the prison camp are also buried here. The death toll among prisoners of war and the guards was high, especially in the latter part of 1863 and throughout 1864. By July 1863, there were 12,595 prisoners on the island at nearby Fort Delaware which was only about 75 acres (30 ha) in size. Disease was rampant and nearly 2,700 prisoners died from malnutrition or neglect. Confederate prisoners interred at the cemetery totaled 2,436 and all are in a common grave as can still be seen as a huge pit in the north western corner of the site near the monument.

Officially made a National Cemetery on October 3, 1875 by request of Virginia Governor James L. Kemper, who criticized the poor maintenance of the Confederate grave sites.

Finn's Point National Cemetery is south of Supawna Meadows National Wildlife Refuge near Fort Mott State Park, in Pennsville. The cemetery was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Serial killer Andrew Cunanan committed one of his murders at the cemetery on May 9, 1997, killing cemetery caretaker William Reese and stealing his truck.

Noteworthy monuments

Union Monument
  • The Confederate Monument, an 85-foot (26 m) tall granite obelisk, erected in 1910 by the federal government in memory of the 2,436 Confederate prisoners of war who died at Fort Delaware. Their names are inscribed on the monument.[3]
  • The Union Monument, dedicated in 1879 to 135 Union soldiers who died while on duty at Fort Delaware.[4]
  • In the northwest corner, 13 white marble headstones mark the burial place of German prisoners of World War II who died while in custody at nearby Fort Dix, New Jersey.

See also

References

  1. ↑ National Park Service (2009-03-13). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. ↑ "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places - Salem County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection - Historic Preservation Office. April 5, 2013. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 4, 2013. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
  3. ↑ Confederate War Dead Monument at Find a Grave
  4. ↑ Union Guards Monument at Find a Grave
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