sosilverblades
Interesting, particularly the old section behind the red brick wall. I liked the big tree with the Spanish moss. It looked like it was crying for our country's losses.
wbullseye
located close by where the Confederate stockade was located that temporarily held Federal prisoners of war. The cemetery is easy to find and there are limited parking spots available inside the cemetery itself. The office is only open during weekdays but the grounds are open each day from dawn to dusk. There are computers available outside of the main office as well as in the newer section where you can locate a specific grave by name when the office itself is closed.I had visited the cemetery with the intent to visit the graves of the Union soldiers who had died while in the stockade after learning that they were interned here once the war ended. However I had not realized there were two sections to the cemetery. I had visited the stockade before coming here and I first encountered what is the modern section that is used today. There was no information available that specified where the old section was so spent a lot of time paying my respects to the other veterans interned in the cemetery. There was an interpretive sign located at the flag pole describing the stockade and how the cemetery was created after the civil war. However none of the graves are located here and the sign doesn’t let you know where they are as well. Eventually I was able to figure it out by reading a review on this site.You will want to go across the National Cemetery Road where all of the Union soldiers are buried. The modern cemetery entrance is on Stockade Drive. When looking at the cemetery map the graves are located in the lettered areas A-E. The modern section is divided using numbers. While some of the Union soldiers’ names are known most were not and subsequently buried in mass graves. You will find small headstones that state the number of soldiers buried in that grave. It is sobering to see the number of soldiers buried that the names may never be known. There is a group that continues to conduct research to hopefully identify as many as possible using modern technology.The Florence National Cemetery is small but definitely worthwhile to take a stroll and pay your respects to those that have served their country with honor. They do a good job in maintaining the cemetery grounds and headstones. They were in the process of restoring the headstones that needed work in the newer section of the cemetery while I was there.
eds44
My uncle is buried here and the National Cemetery is a stately, restful site dedicated especially to those who served in our Armed Forces.
8NC
Beautiful cemetery that honors our nations veterans. Directory on site to locate any veteran buried there.
CathynRandy
The grounds are very well kept & lots of history to be found here. We visited both sides of the road and strolled through the grounds.
paulr675
The final resting place of the hero's of this country. You will find the large area which were the massed graves of the civil war stockade across the road. The gave of the only women to die in the prisoner war camp as dressed up as a man to be with here husband who was a prisoner. The only Medal of Honor buried here. His service was a river patrol boat officer in Vietnam. Members of E company 101st Airborne who died on D-day an a few days later. Rows of headstones facing the stone wall as memorial stones to those lost, buried at sea or never recovered. Has a band stand to the back of cemetery. Has a bell tower on right as enter gate next to office building.
Pirategril89
I took my senior adults there on a Mystery trip and they loved it! Our tour leader was a retired Military veteran with a wonderful and kind personality! He told us about the solider who actually was a female but pretended to be a male so she could be with her love, we saw the trenches and he explained what the many different symbols on the graves mean.
BAMFlorence
This is a peaceful resting place for our veterans. There are some from the Civil War to our present day conflicts.The grounds are kept up to show the best to all visitors. There are 2parts to the Cemetery one on each side of the road. The one with the large oaks is the old side which has the Civil War veterans in it, the other side with no large trees is the one used today, and all the ceremonies take place here.
JanetCClark
The grounds are kept up beautifully. I'm sure the headstones probably tell many stories of the past.
cookashley87
The grounds are beautiful and well maintained the first part where the civil war soldiers are buried is very interesting. Be sure to notice the mass burial site.
Pirategirl89
The guides are retired Military that bring so much honor to the job! There are many things to see and hear about. You can see the trenches where soliders were buried and even the grave of the female solider who pretended to be a male so she could see her "love".
BillyReyn
It's a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there. Some nice trees. Do not confuse it with the National Cemetery, albeit it is on National Cemetery Road. That's a Southern thing.
USAF_Wife_2013
A beautiful cemetery. One of the original 7(?) national cemeteries. The older side,with the brick fence, has the mass graves of POWs as well as a woman who died at the camp. The staff are very knowledgable about the cemetery.
ret47
The Florence cemetery is in two sections, the first part is where the civil war soldiers are buried and is very interesting. Be sure to notice the mass burial site. The second part across the road is newer and is not that unique. The grounds are clean and well maintained.