Dublin Core
Title
Finn’s Point National Cemetery Confederate Monument
Description
Erected in 1910 by the United States Government, this Confederate monument stands to honor the 2,436 prisoners of war that passed away during their imprisonment at Fort Delaware. The land that this monument stands upon had originally been bought by the federal government to construct fortifications protecting the port of Philadelphia. In the middle of the Delaware river stood Fort Delaware, and Fort Dupont on the western bank. However, by the time of the Civil War there were no permanent fortifications constructed on Finn’s Point. As a result, Confederate prisoners of war were interned at Fort Delaware for the entirety of the war.
As was common during wartime prior to the 20th century, disease and hunger ran rampant among the Confederate prisoners. Among the 12,595 Confederates at Fort Delaware, around 2,700 of them passed away. The Union army initially buried the dead at the fort, but as they continued to increase a new burial site was decided at Finn’s Point. Dead Union soldiers had also begun to be buried at Finn’s Point, and on October 3rd, 1875 it was officially designated as a national cemetery. In 1910 the Federal Government commissioned the construction of an obelisk which would honor those confederates which had died at Fort Delaware, and were subsequently interred at Finn’s Point.
The Confederate Monument at the National Cemetery still stands to this day alongside the Union monument and the graves of the fallen. Unlike many other Confederate monuments that have received calls to be demolished, it is unlikely that this monument will face such pressure. Cemetery monuments such as this, which serve to memorialize those who have fallen, are for the most part ignored. Furthermore, it is worth noting that the entirety of those Confederates who are buried here did not fall in battle, but instead passed away as prisoners of war. Nevertheless, it stands as just one of many dedications to Confederate soldiers across the nation.
As was common during wartime prior to the 20th century, disease and hunger ran rampant among the Confederate prisoners. Among the 12,595 Confederates at Fort Delaware, around 2,700 of them passed away. The Union army initially buried the dead at the fort, but as they continued to increase a new burial site was decided at Finn’s Point. Dead Union soldiers had also begun to be buried at Finn’s Point, and on October 3rd, 1875 it was officially designated as a national cemetery. In 1910 the Federal Government commissioned the construction of an obelisk which would honor those confederates which had died at Fort Delaware, and were subsequently interred at Finn’s Point.
The Confederate Monument at the National Cemetery still stands to this day alongside the Union monument and the graves of the fallen. Unlike many other Confederate monuments that have received calls to be demolished, it is unlikely that this monument will face such pressure. Cemetery monuments such as this, which serve to memorialize those who have fallen, are for the most part ignored. Furthermore, it is worth noting that the entirety of those Confederates who are buried here did not fall in battle, but instead passed away as prisoners of war. Nevertheless, it stands as just one of many dedications to Confederate soldiers across the nation.
Creator
United States Federal Government
Source
Finn’s Point National Cemetery--Civil War Era National Cemeteries: A Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary.” National Parks Service. https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/national_cemeteries/new_jersey/finns_point_national_cemetery.html.
Administration, National Cemetery. “Va.Gov: Veterans Affairs.” Finn’s Point National Cemetery, May 1, 2015. https://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/finnspoint.asp.
Administration, National Cemetery. “Va.Gov: Veterans Affairs.” Finn’s Point National Cemetery, May 1, 2015. https://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/finnspoint.asp.
Date
1910
Contributor
Omar Alhakawati
Language
English
Type
Obelisk, Monument
Identifier
HIST 402A Fall 2023
Coverage
Pennsville, NJ (Finn’s Point)