VA National Cemeteries
Port Hudson National Cemetery burial schedule and eligibility
Zachary, Louisiana · VA national cemetery
Address, hours, directions and contact details: Port Hudson National Cemetery.
You can look up burials at Port Hudson National Cemetery on VA's daily burial schedule, which lists the committal services families have agreed to publish. Veterans who were not dishonorably discharged can be buried here, and so can their spouses and some dependent children. To schedule a burial, you or the funeral director call VA's National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117.
History of Port Hudson National Cemetery
Port Hudson National Cemetery is located approximately seven miles west of Zachary, LA, and about 20 miles north of the capital Baton Rouge. During the Civil War, control of the Mississippi River was critical to both Union and Confederate forces. The North sought control of the river to split the Confederacy in two; the South wanted to ensure the flow of supplies back and forth across the river. When New Orleans fell to Union troops in April 1862, Confederate control of the Mississippi was in jeopardy. The Confederate army had already fortified the river bluffs at Vicksburg, MS, but it needed additional river batteries below the mouth of the Red River, which was the primary route for shipping supplies from Texas to the heartland of the Confederacy.
The bluffs near the small town of Port Hudson represented the perfect site for these batteries. They were the first high ground upstream from Baton Rouge and they overlooked a severe bend in the river, an additional obstacle for Union warships. Following their defeat at the Battle of Baton Rouge on August 5, 1862, Confederate soldiers marched to Port Hudson and occupied the area 10 days later. They constructed a series of batteries along the bluffs and, in the months that followed, a 4.5-mile line of earthworks to protect the land-approach to the batteries.
The siege of Port Hudson began May 23, 1863. Roughly 30,000 Union troops under the command of Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks were pitted against 6,800 Confederates under the command of Maj. Gen. Franklin Gardner.
On the morning of May 27, and again on June 14, the Union army launched ferocious assaults against the string of earthworks protecting Port Hudson. These actions constituted some of the bloodiest fighting in the Civil War. As the siege continued, the Confederates nearly exhausted their ammunition and were reduced to eating mules, horses and rats. When word reached Gardner that Vicksburg had surrendered, he realized that his situation was hopeless. Surrender terms were negotiated and, after 48 days and thousands of casualties, the Union army entered Port Hudson. This siege would become the longest in American military history.
Visiting hours at Port Hudson National Cemetery
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 except Memorial Day 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Who can be buried at Port Hudson National Cemetery?
VA national cemeteries accept a veteran who didn't receive a dishonorable discharge, a service member who died on active duty or in training, the veteran's spouse or surviving spouse (even if they remarried), and minor or, in some cases, unmarried adult dependent children. National Guard and Reserve members qualify under narrower rules. You can ask VA for a pre-need eligibility decision in advance; it does not reserve a gravesite.
What does burial here include at no cost?
- A gravesite in any VA national cemetery with available space
- Opening and closing of the grave
- A government-provided burial liner
- A government-provided headstone or marker
- Perpetual care of the gravesite
Veterans also receive a burial flag, a Presidential Memorial Certificate (presented to the next of kin at the burial) and military funeral honors, which include the playing of Taps and two uniformed service members who present the flag. The committal service is held at a committal shelter, not at the grave, and lasts about 20 minutes. National cemeteries have no viewing facilities, so the funeral itself is held elsewhere.
How do you schedule a burial at Port Hudson National Cemetery?
- Gather the veteran's DD214 or other discharge papers, and the deceased's details (Social Security number, dates of birth and death, relationship to the veteran).
- Fax the discharge papers to the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 866-900-6417, or email them to [email protected] with the deceased's name in the subject line.
- You or the funeral director call 800-535-1117 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET) to request Port Hudson National Cemetery and a date. National cemeteries hold burials Monday through Friday.
Where is the Port Hudson National Cemetery burial schedule?
VA posts a daily burial schedule for every national cemetery. Search it for Port Hudson National Cemetery to see the committal services planned there. It only lists burials whose families agreed to publish them. To change or cancel a burial that's already scheduled, contact Port Hudson National Cemetery directly at 225-654-1988.
Headstone, flag and burial allowance
- Government headstone or marker: tell the scheduling office which headstone, marker, niche cover or medallion you want when you schedule the burial.
- Burial flag: VA Form 27-2008.
- Burial allowance: For a non-service-connected death on or after October 1, 2026, VA pays up to $1,032 toward burial and funeral costs and $1,032 for a plot; for a service-connected death on or after September 11, 2001, the burial allowance is up to $2,000. Claim it with VA Form 21P-530EZ. All benefits
After the funeral: survivor benefits and the estate
A surviving spouse, child or parent may qualify for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), a tax-free monthly VA benefit, for example when the death was service connected (VA Form 21P-534EZ). The veteran's estate is settled under Louisiana law; our sister site ProbateUS explains how probate works in Louisiana and lists each county's probate court. For the rest of the paperwork, from Social Security to bank accounts, DeathUS has a step-by-step checklist of what to do when someone dies.
Funeral homes near Port Hudson National Cemetery
A funeral director usually arranges the burial with the cemetery. These are the closest funeral homes by straight-line distance. Each one links to its full listing on FuneralUS, our funeral home directory.
- Charlet Funeral HomeZachary, LA7.0 mi from the cemetery
- Miller & Daughter MortuaryZachary, LA7.5 mi from the cemetery
- Hall Davis & Sons Funeral Service, LLCBaton Rouge, LA9.2 mi from the cemetery
- Niland's Funeral ServiceNew Roads, LA9.9 mi from the cemetery
- Baker Funeral HomeBaker, LA10.2 mi from the cemetery
- Hall Davis & Son Funeral ServicePort Allen, LA10.5 mi from the cemetery
FAQ
Questions about burial at Port Hudson National Cemetery
Is burial at Port Hudson National Cemetery free?
Yes, for eligible veterans, spouses and dependent children. VA provides the gravesite, opening and closing of the grave, a burial liner, a headstone or marker, and perpetual care at no cost. The funeral home's services, such as transport and any service before the burial, are arranged and paid for separately.
Can I reserve a gravesite at Port Hudson National Cemetery in advance?
No. You can ask VA for a pre-need eligibility decision before a death, but VA says the decision letter doesn't name a cemetery or gravesite, because neither can be reserved in advance.
How do I schedule a burial at Port Hudson National Cemetery?
Fax the veteran's discharge papers to 866-900-6417 or email them to [email protected]. Then you or the funeral director call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET). National cemeteries hold burials Monday through Friday.
Where can I see the burial schedule for Port Hudson National Cemetery?
On VA's daily burial schedule at https://www.cem.va.gov/cem/dailyburialschedule/. It covers every national cemetery, but it only lists burials whose families agreed to publish them.
Are military funeral honors provided at Port Hudson National Cemetery?
Yes, if you ask for them. Your funeral director, a Veterans Service Organization or the cemetery staff can arrange them. At minimum, two uniformed service members fold and present the burial flag at the committal shelter, and Taps is played.
Read next