Facts About Section 27

Section 27 sign

Pvt. William Henry Christman, 67th Pennsylvania Infantry, first military service man interred in Arlington National Cemetery, May 13, 1864.

Pvt. William H. McKinney, 17th Pennsylvania Cavalry, interred Friday, May 13, 1864 (age 17, first to have family present at funeral).

Pvt. William Reeves, 76th New York Infantry, first draftee interred, May 13, 1864.

Pvt. William Blatt, 49th Pennsylvania Infantry, first battle casualty interred, Saturday, May 14, 1864.

Two Unknown Union Soldiers were interred on May 15, 1864. They were the first of nearly 5,000 unknowns now resting in Arlington National Cemetery.

The first graves in Arlington National Cemetery were dug by James Parks, a former Arlington Estate slave. Buried in Section 15. James Parks is the only person buried in Arlington National Cemetery who was born on the property.

About 1,500 United States Colored Troops are interred in section 27. The first black combat soldiers of the Civil War.

Nearly 3,800 "citizens" or "contrabands" (former slaves who were living in Freedman's Village on the Arlington Estate) are interred in Section 27. Citizen or civilian is inscribed on their headstones.

Four Medal of Honor recipients are interred in Section 27.

Landsman William H. Brown, on the USS Brooklyn, U.S. Navy (27- 565-A) Civil War

Sgt. James H. Harris, 38th U.S. Colored Troops, U.S. Army (27-985-H) Civil War

Pvt. James Richmond, 8th Ohio Infantry, U.S. Army (27-886). Pvt. Richmond captured the flag at Gettysburg. Civil War

Sgt. Thomas Shaw, 9th U.S. Cavalry, U.S. Army (27-952-B) Indian Campaigns (1881)