Burial at Knoxville National Cemetery: A family guide

History of Knoxville National Cemetery

Knoxville National Cemetery is located in Knox County, in the northern section of the city of Knoxville, TN.

Union Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside established the cemetery during the Civil War after the siege of Knoxville and subsequent Battle of Fort Sander.

Capt. E.B. Chamberlain, the assistant quartermaster, was assigned the task of designing the national cemetery at Knoxville. The first interments were remains exhumed from Cumberland Gap, Concord and many other regional sites. Chamberlain's design and system for recording interments was so effective that, in 1866, Gen. E.G. Whitman, observed that the cemetery had been "the only burial ground of Union soldiers…originally laid out and conducted to the present time in a manner and on a system that render[ed] it suitable to be converted into a national cemetery without material alteration or change, or removal of a single body."

Knoxville National Cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.

Notable veterans buried at Knoxville National Cemetery

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

• Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force that can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed Services of the United States. Recipients receive the Medal of Honor from the President on behalf of Congress. It was first awarded during the Civil War and the eligibility criteria, medal design, and recognition on a recipients' grave marker have all evolved over time. There are 434 Medal of Honor recipients interred at VA national cemeteries including 6 double recipients.
• » Medal of Honor recipients interred or memorialized here:
• Sergeant Troy A. McGill (World War II). He received the Medal of Honor posthumously for service in the U.S. Army, Troop G, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, in recognition of an intrepid stand in the Los Negros Islands, Admiralty Group, March 4, 1944. McGill was buried in the Air Force Mausoleum Manila No.1, Philippine Islands; his remains were reinterred on January 25, 1951, in Section B, Site 6294.
• Private Timothy Spillane (Civil War). He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Company C, 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry, for actions at Hatcher's Run, VA, February 5–7, 1865. Spillane died in 1901 and is buried in Section A, Site 3319.
• Other Burials Among those interred at Knoxville National Cemetery is Brigadier General Robert Reese Neyland, retired U.S. Army. While General Neyland was attending West Point Military Academy, he was an aide to the Commandant of West Point, General Douglas Macarthur. After he assumed his military duties he was assigned as an ROTC instructor at the University of Tennessee, where he also served as football coach. During World War II General Neyland was recalled to serve his country. He was elevated to the rank of Brigadier General at that time and was one of the top-ranking officers in the China-Burma-India field of operation. Brigadier General Robert Reese Neyland and his wife Ada are interred in Section X, Site 16A.
• Group Burials: We have several group burials in Knoxville National Cemetery:
• 13 are interred in Section X, Site 7, 8, 9 A/B from World War II. 5 are interred in Section X, Site 46 A/B from World War II. 3 are interred in Section X, Site 31 A/B from World War II. 6 are interred in Section X, Site 57 A/B from World War II. 4 are interred in Section X, Site 58 A from World War II. 19 are interred in Section C, Site 3255 war period is unknown.
• US Confederate Soldier: Captain George M. Coleman, Company D, 9th Kentucky Regiment, Civil War (Section D, Site 2538).

Eligibility for burial at Knoxville 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 sunrise to sunset. Office Hours: This cemetery is administered by Mountain Home National Cemetery.

How to schedule a burial at Knoxville 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 Knoxville National Cemetery at the assigned time. The cemetery handles opening, closing, and perpetual care from that point.

Where Knoxville National Cemetery sits in the Tennessee cemetery system

Knoxville National Cemetery is one of the veteran cemeteries operating in Tennessee. The cemetery is currently operating with limited burial availability. Families should verify status before planning.

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