Burial at City Point National Cemetery: A family guide

History of City Point National Cemetery

City Point National Cemetery is located in the historical district of Hopewell, VA. The cemetery received its name from the town City Point which was in Prince George County before being annexed by the City of Hopewell in 1923. At the confluence of the James and Appomattox rivers, City Point was a vital transportation center for railroads such as the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad, and was a well-established inland port on the James River and Kanawha Canal at the onset of the Civil War. City Point's transportation advantages and proximity to Richmond, the longest-enduring capital of the Confederacy, led Union General Ulysses S. Grant to establish a supply depot for his army here.

In the last year of the Civil War, Union troops, artillery and all manner of supplies were amassed at City Point in preparation for Grant's final assaults to capture Petersburg—another key communications center—and Richmond. From June 1864 until April 1865, the relentless Union advances and the Confederate's stubborn and often-desperate defense tactics resulted in many wounded and dead who were transported to City Point and other regional hospitals. Seven hospitals in City Point administered most of the care for the injured and mortally wounded.

Casualties were originally interred in burial grounds near the hospitals, and later they were reinterred at City Point National Cemetery. Through the years, additional burial sites from various Civil War battles have been discovered as local construction projects, such as subdivision development and road widening were made near the cemetery. Many of these remains—both Union and Confederate—were reinterred at City Point National Cemetery. Unlike other Civil War-era national cemeteries in the Richmond area, here the number of known interments exceeds unknowns. Reinterments include remains from another City Point burial ground, Point of Rocks cemetery (Chesterfield County), and Harrison's Landing (Charles City County). City Point National Cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.

According to an 1871 report, the superintendent's lodge at that time was a "small wooden cottage, in poor condition" and the cemetery lot was enclosed by a wooden picket fence. Sometime afterward, City Point became one of many early national cemeteries with sturdy Victorian superintendent lodges constructed according to a design by U.S. Quartermaster General Montgomery C. Meigs.

Notable veterans buried at City Point National Cemetery

The National Cemetery Administration documents the following veterans of note buried at City Point National Cemetery, listed by section and site as recorded in the cemetery's official register.

• Albany native Levi Kankapot, enlisted in the U.S. Army's Second New York Heavy Artillery on March 3, 1862, during the Civil War. He was killed June 16, 1864, the second day of the siege of Petersburg, Virginia. Pvt. Kankapot was a member of the Mohican Nation's Stockbridge tribe, and wrote about the tribe's leadership and claim to 600 acres of ancestral land in New York. Pvt. Kankapot is buried in City Point National Cemetery, where he shares a headstone with E. L. Warren (Section C, Site 2099).

Eligibility for burial at City Point National Cemetery

Planning ahead for a Veteran's or loved-one's final resting place can eliminate unnecessary delays and reduce stress on a family at a difficult time.

The Department of Veterans Affairs covers the grave plot, opening and closing of the grave, perpetual care, a government-furnished headstone or marker, and a U.S. burial flag at no cost to eligible families.

Visiting hours

Visitation Hours: Open daily from dawn to dusk. Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Closed federal holidays except Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

How to schedule a burial at City Point National Cemetery

1. The funeral home or family contacts the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 1-800-535-1117 (24/7 for active funeral arrangements).
2. Provide the veteran's full name, date of birth, social security number, dates of service, branch, and date of death.
3. Fax or email the DD-214 to the cemetery's interment office for verification.
4. Once eligibility is confirmed (typically 30–60 minutes for complete documentation), the cemetery assigns a date, time, and committal shelter.
5. The funeral home transports the deceased to City Point National Cemetery at the assigned time. The cemetery handles opening, closing, and perpetual care from that point.

Where City Point National Cemetery sits in the Virginia cemetery system

City Point National Cemetery is one of the veteran cemeteries operating in Virginia. The cemetery is currently closed to new in-ground burials but may accept cremated remains in some cases. Families should verify status before planning.

For families considering alternatives, the nearest veteran cemeteries appear in our cemetery sidebar. If City Point National Cemetery is fully reserved, those alternatives are typically the next options.