Burial at Seven Pines National Cemetery: A family guide

History of Seven Pines National Cemetery

Seven Pines National Cemetery is located in Henrico County, VA, approximately eight miles southeast of Richmond. The Battle of Fair Oaks (also known as the Battle of Seven Pines) took place in this region and the cemetery's 1.9-acres are located on a portion of a battlefield.

After the close of the Civil War, Lieut. Col. James H. Moore, assistant quartermaster, was authorized to select a site for a permanent national cemetery for the interment of the battlefield dead. The original 1.3-acre site was appropriated in 1866, and later purchased, from Richard Hilliard. Two small plots of land were added to the site in 1874 and 1875. The cemetery name is derived from the seven pine trees planted along the inside of the cemetery wall in 1869.

A program of concentrating the battlefield remains began in May 1866. More than four years had elapsed since the first casualties of the war had been hastily buried, however, and the remains were often difficult to identify. As a result, 1,216 interments were unknown here, compared to 141 known dead.

Seven Pines National Cemetery was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.

Notable veterans buried at Seven Pines National Cemetery

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

• Under Development.

Eligibility for burial at Seven Pines 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: 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 Seven Pines 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 Seven Pines National Cemetery at the assigned time. The cemetery handles opening, closing, and perpetual care from that point.

Where Seven Pines National Cemetery sits in the Virginia cemetery system

Seven Pines 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 Seven Pines National Cemetery is fully reserved, those alternatives are typically the next options.