Volunteers for Freedom: Black Civil War Soldiers in Alexandria National Cemetery

Volunteers for Freedom: Black Civil War Soldiers

in Alexandria National Cemetery

Alexandria National Cemetery was established by the Union Army in 1862. Of the 3,500+ soldiers buried here, more than 250 are African-American. Many were first buried at Freedmen's Cemetery (1001 S. Washington Street) but later re-interred at the National Cemetery.*

This database was created after a careful review of Volunteers for Freedom: Black Civil War Soldiers in Alexandria National Cemetery by Edward A. Miller, Jr., located in Local History/Special Collections. Miller's sources included -- but were not limited to -- pension files, military service records, and hospital records. His research was published in Historic Alexandria Quarterly (Fall 1998; Winter 1998).

Pvt. Smith Adams to Pvt. Samuel Young

Name. In some cases there are variations of a name e.g. records for "Charles H. Manwell" also appear under the surnames "Matver" and "Manton."
Date of Birth and Birthplace/Likely Birthplace. Some birthdates were reported by the soldier upon enlistment; others are estimates based on age reported at death.
Condition/Occupation. If Miller indicates that the person was "probably a slave," the entry appears as "slave?"
Military Service/Post-Military Life. Information about date/place of enlistment, regiment/company, rank achieved/military duty, date/place of discharge, and post-military life/whereabouts is included when available.
Date of Death and Cause of Death. Dates and causes appear as they were reported by Miller.
Wife and Children. Wedding dates, names of wives, and names of children are included when available.
Notes. Additional details about many soldiers appear in the Miller monograph.

Photocopies of these biographical sketches are available. Contact the Library for details. Contact the Library for hours of operation. Please note our holiday schedule.

NOTE: Researchers might also want to refer to Guide to African-American Resources. The guide presents an overview of relevant materials in the Alexandria Library Local History/Special Collections division.

*Additional information about the cemetery is available at the Freedmen's Cemetery web site.

Special Collections Home || Guide to Special Collections || Virtual Tour || Online Exhibits || Genealogy Resources
Online Collection Guides || Useful Links || News and Events || Bookshop || Contact Us
Library Catalog || Alexandria Library Home
_{Web Page/Database by Leslie Anderson Morales} _{© 2004 Alexandria Library}