Source: National Cemetery Administration · cem.va.gov · scraped May 2026
History of Culpeper National Cemetery Annex
During the Civil War, the capital of the Confederacy and the federal government lay barely 100 miles apart—and Culpeper was located roughly midway between them. As a result of its strategic geographical location, both Union and Confederate armies occupied the region around Culpeper, VA, during the conflict. Confederates encamped and patrolled the region to thwart Union efforts to attack the Confederate capital of Richmond. The Union Army was ever-present to defend Washington, D.C., and federal supply lines, as well as to attack Richmond.
From 1862–1865, numerous battles waged throughout the region, including the Battle of Cedar Mountain on August 9, 1862, and the Battle of Chancellorsville, April 30 through May 6, 1863. So great was the loss of life on both sides during these encounters that many scholars consider these battles to be the fiercest fighting of the war. Afterward, many soldiers died of wounds in field or military hospitals. Most were buried where they fell or were interred in make-shift graves around encampments, hospitals or the battlefield.
After the war, a reburial program was initiated by the federal government and carried out by the office of the quartermaster general. The objective was to locate the remains of all Union soldiers and reinter them in national cemeteries. As a result of the National Cemetery Act of 1862 and the number of scattered Union dead in the vicinity, Culpeper National Cemetery was established in 1867.
Land for the original six-acre cemetery was purchased from Edward B. Hill of Culpeper for $1,400. In 1872, a Second Empire Victorian-style caretaker's lodge designed by Quartermaster Gen. Montgomery C. Meigs, was constructed on the property. A tool house, brick perimeter walls, and a flagstaff were most likely constructed during the 1870s as well. H.W. McCray of Washington, D.C., constructed a decorative brick rostrum with iron posts and a tin roof in December 1905.
During the 1930s, the cemetery was improved through several Depression-era federal make-work programs. In 1934, the original tool house was demolished and replaced by a new brick garage-tool-comfort station erected by the Civil Works Administration (CWA) at a cost of $8,000. Another CWA project in May 1934 included repairs to the lodge, raising and realigning 912 headstones, and constructing a concrete driveway and walk. In 1936, a Works Project Administration project accomplished the realignment and re-setting of 402 headstones. The old flagstaff was removed and replaced with a new one in 1938 and in December 1939 a brick and slate-roof oil house was constructed.
The cemetery operated without major improvements until November 17, 1972, when it closed to new interments. On September 1, 1973, in execution of the National Cemetery Act of 1973, the cemetery was transferred from the U.S. Army to the Veterans Administration's new National Cemetery System. In 1975, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Burton-Hammond Post 2524, donated an additional 10.5 acres for cemetery use. Another small tract was purchased in 1978 and a brick administration building was constructed on the property. The cemetery re-opened January 16, 1978.
Culpeper National Cemetery was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.
Monuments and Memorials The granite Maine Monument is a memorial to the 10th Maine Volunteer Infantry in honor of 22 of their fallen comrades who perished in the Battle of Cedar Mountain on August 9, 1862. It was erected in the late 19th or early 20th centuries.
The Massachusetts Monument was erected in 1893 by surviving members of the 2nd Massachusetts Infantry. The granite monument was erected in honor of fellow comrades who died in the Battle of Cedar Mountain.
In 1902, the State of New York erected a large granite monument in memory of the 28th New York Volunteer Infantry, 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 12th Corps, Army Corps of the Potomac. Many in the regiment were killed at the Battle of Cedar Mountain.
The Ohio Monument is a granite and bronze structure erected by the 7th Ohio Regimental Association. It pays tribute to officers and soldiers of the 7th Ohio Regiment who died in the Battle of Cedar Mountain.
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania erected the Pennsylvania Monument in 1910, dedicated to its officers and soldiers buried at the cemetery. The monument is one of at least four under NCA management that were commissioned by the State of Pennsylvania during the post-Civil War period. The other Pennsylvania monuments are located at Winchester and Cold Harbor national cemeteries in Virginia, and Salisbury National Cemetery, NC.
A memorial dedicated to the Civil War Unknowns buried in the cemetery was erected in 1988.
The granite Armed Forces Monument was erected in November 1992 and officially dedicated on May 28, 2001. It was sponsored by American Legion Post 330 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2524 in honor of all men and women who served in the armed services.
Notable interments
Veterans, public figures, and citizens of note buried at Culpeper National Cemetery Annex, listed by section and site as recorded by the National Cemetery Administration.
Sergeant Staunton Montgomery Brown (World War II).
Brown (1918–1944) was a native of Culpeper, VA. The third of eleven children, Staunton's parents were Lafayette and Nina May Brown, both of whom hailed from nearby Madison County. Lafayette was a farmer by trade and when it came time for "Gummie" as he was called, to register for the draft in 1940 he too listed his occupation as "farmer." Staunton was assigned to Company B, 116th Infantry Division, 29th Infantry Division. The 29th shipped out to England in September 1942 and began to train for the invasion of France. On June 6, 1944, Staunton and Company B were aboard the second wave of landing craft assaulting the Dog Green sector of Omaha Beach. Brown was killed almost immediately after the ramp of the landing craft dropped. He was buried in a temporary cemetery near Omaha Beach and the local community was stunned to hear of his loss. His parents published a note in the local newspaper thanking everyone for their love and support in the wake of such shattering news. Following the war, Staunton's remains were sent home, and he was reinterred on May 17, 1948. He now rests in Section A1, Site 1410.
Peer de Silva was born in San Francisco on July 26, 1917.
He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1941 and followed with intelligence training. He was a security officer for the Manhattan Project, responsible for the transfer of atomic weapons abroad. After World War II, he was assigned to the Army's Strategic Services Unit, precursor to the CIA, and began a long career in Cold War intelligence. He was honorably discharged as a lieutenant colonel in 1953. He served as a station chief at numerous locations throughout his career, including Saigon in 1963. Injuries sustained from a 1965 car bomb forced a reassignment to Washington, DC. He retired from the CIA in 1972 and authored a book about his career, posthumously published in 1978. He died August 13, 1978. .
Section G, Site 751
Rear Admiral John Marocchi was born in Bologna, Italy, on June 6, 1920.
He was two when his family immigrated to the United States and settled in Clarksville, TN. He graduated from Austin Peay State prior to appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1942 (which graduated in December 1941). He was severely wounded on USS Birmingham (CL-62) during the Battle of Leyte Gulf during World War II. Marocchi served in the Korean and Vietnam wars as an intelligence officer and played a role in the resolution of the Cuban Missile Crisis and Pueblo Incident. He completed Army Airborne training at age 42 and was one of the few Navy officers to earn parachute wings. He retired in 1975 as deputy director, National Security Agency. Marocchi died July 12, 2014. .
Section M, Site 83
Eligibility for burial at Culpeper National Cemetery Annex
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.
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Burial in a VA national cemetery is open to all members of the armed forces who have met a minimum active duty service requirement and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.
Directions
Your service will take place in one of two locations, 305 U.S. Avenue or 501 East Chandler Street. Contact your funeral home or the Culpeper National Cemetery for the location of your service. The cemetery office is located at 305 U.S. Avenue.
From Interstate 95, take Route 3 west towards Culpeper. Once in Culpeper, turn right at third stop light onto Main Street. After first stoplight on Main Street, go to the second right and turn onto Stevens Street. Follow Stevens Street into the cemetery.
Floral and grounds policy
Cemetery policies are conspicuously posted and readily visible to the public.
Floral arrangements accompanying the casket or urn at the time of burial will be placed on the completed grave. Natural cut flowers may be placed on graves at any time of the year. They will be removed when they become unsightly or when it becomes necessary to facilitate cemetery operations such as mowing.
Weapons policy
VA regulations 38 CFR 1.218 prohibit the carrying of firearms (either openly or concealed), explosives or other dangerous or deadly weapons while on VA property, except for official purposes, such as military funeral honors.
Possession of firearms on any property under the charge and control of VA is prohibited. Offenders may be subject to a fine, removal from the premises, or arrest.
Education and visiting programs
More than half of VA's national cemeteries originated with the Civil War and many are closed to some burials. Other sites were established to serve World War veterans and they continue to expand. Historic themes related with NCA's cemeteries and soldiers' lots vary, but visitors should understand "Why is it here?" NCA began by installing interpretive signs, or waysides, at more than 100 properties to observe the Civil War Sesquicentennial (2011–2015). Please follow the links below to see the interpretive signs for Culpeper National Cemetery.
A National Cemetery System Culpeper National Cemetery Visit the Veterans Legacy Program and NCA History Program for additional information. Thank you for your interest.
Nearest cemeteries
The three closest veteran cemeteries to Culpeper National Cemetery Annex (by straight-line distance):
- Culpeper National Cemetery — Culpeper, VA (0 mi · open)
- National Memorial Cemetery at Quantico — Triangle, VA (35 mi · open)
- Winchester National Cemetery — Winchester, VA (50 mi · closed)
Nearby veteran-friendly funeral homes
The following funeral homes within a 50-mile radius of Culpeper National Cemetery Annex have demonstrated a commitment to serving veterans through specialized services, VA benefits coordination, or dedicated honors details.
Clore-English Funeral Home is a premier funeral home located at 11190 James Monroe Highway in Culpeper, VA. The property features well-appointed spaces including chapel, visitation room, and hospitality room. Professional offerings include cremation, traditional burial, and celebration of life, handled with the utmost care by their licensed directors. General services start at $3,495. Direct cremation services are provided starting at $3,495. The staff is experienced in coordinating with various faith traditions, specifically Asian Funeral Traditions, Buddhist Funeral Traditions, Catholic Funeral Traditions, Hispanic Funeral Traditions, Hindu Funeral Traditions, Muslim Funeral Traditions, Christian Funeral Traditions, and Jewish Funeral Traditions.
Joynes Funeral Home, Inc. is a premier funeral home located at 29 N. Third St. P.O Box 3633 in Warrenton, VA. With deep roots in the community, they provide a peaceful and accommodating environment to honor the memory of loved ones.
D. D. Watson Mortician Inc. is a premier funeral home located at 117 WEST ST in LOUISA, VA. The property features well-appointed spaces including chapel. Professional offerings include burial services, cremation services, and personalization, handled with the utmost care by their licensed directors. The staff is experienced in coordinating with various faith traditions, specifically Baptist, Christian, Methodist, and Presbyterian.
Baker-Post Funeral Home & Cremation Center is a premier funeral home located at 10001 Nokesville Road in Manassas, VA. The property features well-appointed spaces including on-site crematory. Professional offerings include funeral planning, burial services, and cremation services, handled with the utmost care by their licensed directors.
Stonewall Memory Gardens is a premier funeral home located at 12004 Lee Highway in Manassas, VA. The property features well-appointed spaces including gardens, mausoleums, and columbarium niches. Professional offerings include cremation, traditional burial, and catered events, handled with the utmost care by their licensed directors. The staff is experienced in coordinating with various faith traditions, specifically Islamic, Buddhist, Catholic, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, and Multi-Faith.
Maddox Funeral Home is a premier funeral home located at 105 W. Main Street • Front in Royal, VA. The property features well-appointed spaces including on-site crematory, urn showroom, and chapel. Professional offerings include pre-arrangements, funeral arrangements, and traditional funeral and burial, handled with the utmost care by their licensed directors. General services start at $2,705. For families preferring a traditional approach, basic burial services begin at $5,485, while direct cremation is available from $2,705. The staff is experienced in coordinating with various faith traditions, specifically United Methodist Church, Baptist Church (various denominations), Episcopal Church, Assembly of God, Presbyterian Church, Church of Christ, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Church of the Brethren, Evangelical Lutheran Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, CME Church, Covenant Brethren Church, Christian Church (non-denominational), Catholic Church, and Seventh Day Adventist Church. The firm's dedication to service is reflected in their 4.4-star Google rating across 31 reviews.
Teague Funeral Home is a premier funeral home located at 2260 Ivy Road in Charlottesville, VA. The property features well-appointed spaces including flexible event space, modern funeral home, and chapel. Professional offerings include funeral service, cremation, and burial, handled with the utmost care by their licensed directors. General services start at $810. For families preferring a traditional approach, basic burial services begin at $4,670, while direct cremation is available from $1,045. The staff is experienced in coordinating with various faith traditions, specifically Asian Funeral Traditions, Buddhist Funeral Traditions, Catholic Funeral Traditions, Hispanic Funeral Traditions, Hindu Funeral Traditions, Muslim Funeral Traditions, Christian Funeral Traditions, Jewish Funeral Traditions, and Black Funeral Traditions.
Stover Funeral Home is a premier funeral home located at 177 North Holliday St. in Strasburg, VA. With deep roots in the community, they provide a peaceful and accommodating environment to honor the memory of loved ones. Professional offerings include cremation, pre-planning, and grief support, handled with the utmost care by their licensed directors. The staff is experienced in coordinating with various faith traditions, specifically Christian.