Danville National Cemetery

Source: National Cemetery Administration · cem.va.gov · scraped May 2026

History of Danville National Cemetery

Danville National Cemetery is located in Pittsylvania County, VA, about 144 miles southwest of Richmond.

During the Civil War, Danville was an important railroad center. A great number of recruits, supplies and war materiel were transported to Danville to provision the Army of Northern Virginia. As an important transportation hub, Danville was also the logical site for a Confederate prisoner-of-war camp.

Once the Civil War began, the Confederates found themselves with large numbers of Union prisoners captured in the Battle of Manassas. These POWs were then transported to Richmond, where they were initially housed in facilities such as Ligon's Warehouse and Tobacco Factory and many others like it. However, to reduce the high prison population in the Confederate capital, hundreds of Union POWs were relocated to six tobacco warehouses in downtown Danville, VA. Today, at 300 Lynn Street, Civil War Prison No. 6 still stands. It is a brick structure, originally built for Major William T. Sutherlin in 1855. These six facilities held just over 7,000 officers and enlisted men, 1,400 of whom died of such scourges as smallpox and dysentery brought on by starvation.

By 1864, the South's resources were disastrously depleted due to General William T. Sherman's successful destruction of the railroads. With no access to supplies of food, clothing and munitions, the civilian population of Richmond could no longer feed and cloth themselves, let alone their soldiers. To eliminate the drain on these limited resources, thousands of Union prisoners — mostly officers — were sent to the Danville prison. In winter 1864–1865, there were 2,400 prisoners of all ranks living here in overcrowded conditions.

Danville National Cemetery was established in December 1866 on 2.63 acres, about a mile from the railroad station. With the exception of the remains of four soldiers from the Sixth Army Corps, all original interments in the cemetery were Union POWs who died in the prison. The principal cause of death was disease. Many of the bodies of Union Soldiers who died in Danville's prisons were buried in mass graves. These graves were later exhumed and the bodies buried beneath individual markers.

Danville National Cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.

Monuments and Memorials Danville National Cemetery has no monuments or memorials.

Notable interments

Veterans, public figures, and citizens of note buried at Danville National Cemetery, listed by section and site as recorded by the National Cemetery Administration.

Eligibility for burial at Danville 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.

Request eligibility status for:

Veteran or servicemember Spouse Dependent family member Apply online »

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

Travel Route 360 from Richmond to Danville. Travel Route 86 South, then turn left onto Industrial Drive and left again on Jefferson Avenue. Turn right on Lee Street to cemetery on your right.

Floral and grounds policy

Our floral and grounds policy exists to reflect the honor and respect we hold for our Nation's Veterans, by preserving the dignity and solemnity of their final resting place.

These items are welcome:

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 Danville National Cemetery.

A National Cemetery System Danville National Cemetery, VA 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 Danville National Cemetery (by straight-line distance):

• Raleigh National Cemetery — Raleigh, NC (70 mi · closed)
• Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery — Dublin, VA (80 mi · open)
• Salisbury National Cemetery Annex — Salisbury, NC (87 mi · open)

Nearby veteran-friendly funeral homes

The following funeral homes within a 50-mile radius of Danville National Cemetery have demonstrated a commitment to serving veterans through specialized services, VA benefits coordination, or dedicated honors details.