Established 1863 Type Military Veterans No. of graves 3,033 Founded 1863 Year built 1863 | Location Salem, New Jersey Size 115 acres (47 ha) Area 26 ha Phone +1 215-504-5610 Added to NRHP 31 August 1978 | |
 | ||
Owned by US Department of Veterans Affairs Address 454 Fort Mott Rd, Pennsville, NJ 08070, USA Owner United States Department of Veterans Affairs Similar Fort Mott State Park, Fort Delaware State Park, Cracker Barrel Old Country S, Shag's Crab & Seafood, JG Cooks Riverview Inn | ||
A visit to the mass confederate burial at finn s point national cemetery in pennsville nj
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.
Contents
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.
Andrew Cunanan committed one of his murders at the cemetery on May 9, 1997, killing cemetery caretaker William Reese and stealing his truck.