There are a total of seventeen cemeteries in Cypress Hills on either side of the Brooklyn-Queens border. It’s a hilly area, where thousands of years ago a glacier was stopped cold, depositing debris in its advance, accounting for the hills of Staten Island and the middle of Brooklyn, Queens and on into Long Island. I’ve chosen to feature National Cemetery at Jamaica Avenue and Hale Street on Memorial Day, since each and every one of its over 21,000 stones bears the cross that appears on the gravestone of a military veteran.
The National Cemetery network was established during the Civil War. On July 17, 1862, Congress enacted legislation that authorized the President to purchase “cemetery grounds” to be used as national cemeteries “for soldiers who shall have died in the service of the country.” The cemeteries were soon to do a good business. In that first year, a National Cemetery established in Sharpsburg, Maryland became the final resting place for 4, 476 Union soldiers killed at the Battle of Antietam, September 17, 1862, the bloodiest day in US history. Today the National Cemetery network consists of 136 cemeteries, 120 administered by the US Department of Veterans Affairs.
Cypress Hills National Cemetery is one of the original fourteen National Cemeteries. Its site had already been established before its national designation, as part of the larger Cypress Hills Cemetery. Additional land was acquired in 1882 with the aid of Secretary of War Robert Todd Lincoln (son of the President) as well as 1941, when its Mount of Victory and Union plots, in Cypress Hills Cemetery proper, north of National Cemetery, were donated by New York State. The Mount of Victory plot is the final resting place of the last surviving veteran of the war of 1812, Hiram Cronk, who died in 1905 at age 105.
Over 7,000 Civil War veterans, Union and Confederate, are buried at Cypress Hills National. Only the Gettysburg and Arlington Cemeteries contain more Civil War veterans killed at Gettysburg than does Cypress Hills National. Private Alfred Mitchell was the first Union interment. 22 Medal of Honor awardees, marked by gold-lettered, marble headstones, are here. The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action given to a member of the armed services; it is generally given personally by the President.
Three members of the 7th US Calvary who survived the battle of Little Big Horn, June 25, 1876, are interred at Cypress Hills National, including Italian-born bugler John Martin (Giovanni Martini) who had served in his youth under Giuseppe Garibaldi for Italian independence. Martin served in the miltary for 30 years, 1874-1904, and later served at the 103rd Street IRT subway station taking tickets in the days before tokens. He passed away in 1922.
Nine other countries, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Italy, Poland, Russia, Spain and the U.K., claim interments in the Cemetery, including 25 French sailors who died while on duty in American waters in WWI, and British Revolutionary soldiers whose remains were transferred to Cypress Hills National in 1909, the earliest war dead in the Cemetery.
Cypress Hills National Cemetery [US Dept. of Veterans Affairs]
5/26/12
May they all be at Fiddler’s Green
Are Confederate veterans actually buried within the confines of this National Cemetery, or rather in adjacent land? Confederates are generally excluded from National Cemeteries. Clarification?
There are plenty of Confederates in other NYC cemeteries — including my great-grandfather, over in St. Raymond’s. He was formerly a commandand of the NYC Camp of the United Confederate Veterans (and a salesman of gents’ hats, in real life), one of many ex-Rebs who figured out which side won, after the War.
The headstone for Christopher Caudle baffles me. I can’t find any information about him from the war.
FYI the headstone lists the conflict during which the veteran served. Service in the theater or “in country” as we used to say is not required. For example one who served during WW2 is considered a veteran of that war but not a combat veteran unless the person was in theater. The person would still be entitled to WW2 on the headstone.
I didn’t know it was a national cemetery until now. By the way, why do people not in New York State know more about Arlington National and Gettysburg cemeteries than about Cypress Hills national cemetery?
Reposted with typing corrections-apologies to the moderator
I drive by this cemetary every day on the Jackie Robinson Parkway and figured it was a Military cemetary from the way the headstones are arranged, much like Arlington and the ones I have seen in France.
I had family on both sides in the Civil War (or The War of Northern Agression as by Carolina/Tennessee cousins would say).
My wife remarked yesterday that between her family and mine, we have had folks in service in every US war/polital action except the Revolutionary War and Grenada plus my mother’s family’s service in the Royal Navy, Army and the RAF.
Two of my Nephews are presently serving in Afghanistan with the 82nd Airborne and the US Navy and the son of my wife’s boss just shipped out for his third tour with the Rangers (Iraq x2 and Afghanistan).
On my way back home on Friday I noticed a group placing flags at each headstone. I was unaware of the MOH recipients buried in Cypress Hill. Have to make a journey there to pay my respects to the fallen.
BTW-No one “wins” the Medal of Honor. It is awarded for “gallantry above and beyond the call of duty at greal peril to the recipient” and is the only decoration that requires a slaute be given to the recipient by ALL members of the military, no matter what the rank.
and deservedly so…
‘BTW-No one “wins” the Medal of Honor.’
I hate this language hairsplitting, but I changed it for you.
I wouldn’t call it hair splitting in this case. Saying somebody “wins” a Medal of Honor makes it sound like they won it by dumb luck in a raffle instead of paying for it with their life on the battlefield.
The official end of the Vietnam War is 30 April 1975, and the attack on and recapture of the freighter SS Mayaguez beginning 12 May 1975 caused an additional 17 U.S. deaths. Therefore SP4 Caudle (1952-1977) cannot be counted as a Vietnam War fatality.
Apologies if you felt offended by my correction. None of the MOH recipients I have met felt that they deserved the award. When I spoke with the second to last recipient, he said that he was just an average soldier compared to his squadmates. All the men I met were the same. Simple men who rose to the cal and did what they felt would make a difference.
Also buried in Cypress Hills National is M/Sgt. Dan Daly. He was twice awarded the Congressonal Medal of Honor.
Dan Daly, a man only 5’6” tall, and weighing about 135 lbs. stands tall in Marine Corps history and legend. He is probably the most famous enlisted Marine of all time. Chesty Puller and Smedley Butler were both officers. Dan Daly shares with Butler the honor of having won the Congressional Medal of honor twice. Smedley Butler might have won it three times, but it wasn’t given to Officers at the time when both he and Daly fought so bravely in Peking China defending the American legation during the Boxer Rebellion.
Private Dan Daly volunteered to single-handedly man the machine gun at the front while the other Marines were rebuilding the barricades. He held his position throughout a night in which the Boxers made repeated attacks. In the morning, over 200 Boxers were found dead in front of the position Dan Daly still held. For this gallant defensive action Daly was awarded his first Congressional Medal of Honor. Butler, still a young officer, also served very bravely as his small force held the legation against overwhelming numbers of opponents. He received the Marine Corps Brevet Medal which was then the highest honor a Marine Officer could be awarded for bravery under fire (Congress later changed the rules so that officers could win the Medal of Honor). If Butler had been eligible, he might have later become the only Marine in history to win three such medals.
Daly won his second Medal of Honor as a Gunnery Sergeant in Haiti fighting the Caco rebels. His unit was surrounded and badly outnumbered, and forced to cross a river to take up a new defensive position. The machine gun was lost on the bottom of the river. Sneaking out alone at night, Daly retrieved the machine gun, and set up a strong defensive position. The Marines then split into three fire teams, and maneuvered against the Cacos. By the end of the engagement, virtually all of their enemies lay dead, and the Marines had taken very few casualties. For his service, initiative, and bravery in Haiti, Daly won his second Medal of Honor.
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Later, during WWI, in the battle of Belleau Woods Dan Daly again led his men to a hard fought victory, this time against the Germans. He is famously quoted for urging his men forward by saying “Do you sons of bitches want to live forever?” This became a legendary phrase in the Corps, and has a sort of dual meaning if you consider the way Daly himself lives on in memory and legend. Despite taking heavy casualties the Marines won this battle, and Daly survived. At one point he achieved the rank of Sergeant Major. There is only one higher enlisted rank possible, and that is Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps top enlisted advisor to the Commandant. Fighting bravely and surviving in so many tight places it is easy to see why Dan Daly epitomizes Marine enlisted men, and is a legend with few equals.
My own grandparents are buried there too. He was a Marine in the Spanish American War.
I passed by the confederate graves on the way to visit Houdini’s grave a couple years ago. I was surprised to learn they were even there.
Hiram Cronk! Last vet of War of 1812, living until 1905. God, I love that kind of stuff!
Ralph Kramden is buried in the Raccoon National Cemetery in Bismarck, ND.
Alice too.
Back in civil war days the medal of honor didnt carry quite the weight it does now.The army gave out hundreds of them.After the war pawnshops were filled with them.Dudes down ontheir luck would try and buy a drink with one at a bar and get turned down by the bartender.
I know cuz I watched wagon train on tv
IMO, the only war should be the one against them.
WHY ARE THERE CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS BURIED IN OUR NATIONAL CEMETERIES? WHAT A DISGRACE.
CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS BURIED IN OUR NATIONAL CEMETERIES – WHAT A DISGRACE.