Fort Duffield Memorial Burial Ground

The Michigan Cemetery on the hillside below Fort Duffield marks the winter dead of 1861–1862. Disease swept through the 9th Michigan Infantry and supporting units, claiming dozens of lives before they ever saw combat. This page preserves their names, stories, and memorial stones.

Entry to the Memorial Cemetery

Memorial Cemetery Sign — Primary interpretive sign at the memorial cemetery.

Entrance Sign Close View — Close view of the memorial entrance sign.

The modern entrance sign welcomes visitors into what is now a memorial burial ground rather than an active cemetery. During the winter of 1861–1862, disease swept through the camp. Many soldiers died before ever seeing combat. The hillside was chosen as a burial ground because it was close to the fort, well-drained, and visible from the camp.

West Point Civil War Dead

The “West Point Civil War Dead” interpretive sign summarizes the story of the men buried here. Most were volunteers from Michigan, serving in the 9th Michigan Infantry. Others came from supporting units, including artillery and Wisconsin infantry. Their deaths were largely due to typhoid, pneumonia, and other camp diseases rather than battle.

The Landscape of the Hill

Hillside View — The steep hillside where the trench burials were located.

Historic Cemetery Photo — Historic view of the memorial cemetery hill.

Brass Plaque — The original brass plaque before removal.

Memorial Day Flowers — Memorial Day flowers placed at the cemetery.

The cemetery occupies a steep, wooded hillside below Fort Duffield. In 1861, the slope was more open, with fewer trees and a clearer view toward the town and the river. The burials followed the contour of the hill, with trench burials cut into the slope to accommodate the rapid increase in deaths during the epidemic.

Trench Burials and GPR Findings

GPR Trench Interpretation — GPR trench interpretation showing burial alignment.

Vertical GPR Columns — Vertical GPR column readings.

Full GPR Grid — Full GPR grid of the hillside.

Thin GPR Traces — Thin GPR traces showing soil disturbance.

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) surveys have confirmed the presence of long trench burials on the hillside. Rather than individual graves, many soldiers were placed in a single trench, side by side, as the epidemic worsened. This was a common practice in Civil War camps overwhelmed by disease.

The 1868 Disinterment

Disinterment Report — The U.S. Army report documenting the removal of remains in 1868.

Recreated Burial Plot — Modern fenced recreation of the burial trench.

In 1868, the U.S. Army ordered the removal of many Civil War burials from small hillside cemeteries like this one. The remains were transferred to New Albany National Cemetery. Some soldiers were identified; others were not. One artilleryman was found buried in a steel coffin, still wearing his uniform. His identity remains unknown.

Select a Soldier

Click any name in the roster to view details, service information, and memorial stone images.

Michigan Cemetery Roster – A–Z