Burial at Confederate Mound: A family guide

History of Confederate Mound

Oak Woods Cemetery is located in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Established by the Oak Woods Cemetery Association in 1853, the cemetery is an early example of the Lawn-Park cemetery form. Reacting to criticism that rural cemeteries were "cluttered and crowded", cemetery designer Adolph Strauch introduced more formality to the layout of Oak Woods, while reducing the size of trees and shrubs, replacing the atmosphere of a natural garden with that of a park. In time Strauch became one of the most influential cemetery designers of his day, in part due to his work at Oak Woods. Many local politicians of note have been interred here, including two Governors of Illinois, two Mayors of Chicago, U.S. Congressman James Mann, and Walter Gresham, Secretary of State to President Grover Cleveland.

Confederate Mound is located in Section K, Divisions 1 and 2. The plot contains burials of Confederate dead originally interred in the city cemetery, and in grounds near the hospital at Camp Douglas, a prisoner-of-war camp located in Chicago.

The end of the Civil War led to the abandonment of Camp Douglas and the transfer of the Confederate dead to Oak Woods Cemetery in 1866. The following year, Oak Woods received the Confederate remains from the City Cemetery. According to contemporary military records, 3,384 bodies from City Cemetery were re-interred at Oak Woods. At the time, no individual headstones marked the location of the graves. As a result, in the late 19th century a number of Confederate associations began fundraising campaigns to erect a memorial to the dead in the cemetery. Their efforts were rewarded when President Grover Cleveland and his entire cabinet attended the dedication of the 40' tall bronze-and-granite monument on May 30, 1895.

An act of Congress in 1903 provided federal funds for the improvement of Confederate Mound, including the marking of Confederate graves and the raising of the monument and mound. These appropriations led to the placement of six bronze plaques on the monument, which list the names of 4,243 known Confederate soldiers interred here, along with an inscription regarding the funding of the monument.

Notable veterans buried at Confederate Mound

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

• Under Development.

Eligibility for burial at Confederate Mound

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 sunrise to sunset. Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed federal holidays, excluding Memorial Day.

How to schedule a burial at Confederate Mound

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 Confederate Mound at the assigned time. The cemetery handles opening, closing, and perpetual care from that point.

Where Confederate Mound sits in the Illinois cemetery system

Confederate Mound is one of the veteran cemeteries operating in Illinois. 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 Confederate Mound is fully reserved, those alternatives are typically the next options.