GENERAL INFORMATION
To schedule a burial: Fax all discharge documentation to the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 1-866-900-6417 and follow-up with a phone call to
1-800-535-1117.
Military Funeral Honors
The cemetery staff can assist funeral homes by providing the telephone numbers for the Military Funeral Honors contacts.
Military Funeral Honors are organized under the Department of Defense and should be arranged by the funeral director. In the event there is not a funeral director involved in making arrangements please refer to the telephone numbers listed below or contact your local American Legion or VFW.
Army and National Guard - (607) 664-4909
Navy and Merchant Marine - (860) 694-3475
Air Force - (716) 236-3182 or (518) 344-2586
Marine Corps - (516) 228-5666
Coast Guard - (216) 902-6117
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HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Bath National Cemetery is located in Steuben County, N.Y., adjacent to the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
The cemetery was originally a part of the New York State Soldiers and Sailors Home, which was established in 1877; the cemetery was dedicated in Dec. 25, 1879. In 1930, the Soldiers and Sailors Home and cemetery became two integrated components of the Veterans Administration Medical Center (VAMC). When 82 national cemeteries were transferred from the Department of Army to the Veterans Administration in 1973, the Bath VAMC cemetery became part of the National Cemetery System and was designated appropriately.
Bath is the final resting place of the “first and oldest” U.S. MIAs (Missing in Action). On Oct. 26, 1987, an archeologist discovered a skeleton during the construction of a house in Fort Erie, Canada. Scientists and military historians were subsequently sent to investigate the site and ultimately, they discovered 28 remains. The bones were initially believed to be remains of the area’s indigenous population. The discovery of buttons, however, led authorities to believe that the men buried at the site were British soldiers.
The 28 soldiers had been interred in a traditional manner, lying east-west with hand crossed; this indicates that they had been buried during a lull in the fighting by fellow soldiers rather than the enemy. Further investigation by the military indicated that the men had fought during the Niagara Campaign with clashes at Chippaw and Lundy’s Lane before they died at Snake Hill, a battery overlooking Fort Erie. The Department of the Army, working with Canadian officials, held a repatriation ceremony at Fort Erie, Canada, on June 30, 1988 and the soldiers were reinterred with full military honors.
Monuments and Memorials
The 40-foot high granite Preservation of the Union Monument whose benefactor, Samuel Dietz, was dedicated to Civil War soldiers and sailors. It was erected in 1892.
The 1812 monument marks the location of 28 soldiers from the War of 1812 who were repatriated from another site and re-interred at the cemetery in 1988.
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NOTABLE PERSONS
Medal of Honor Recipients
Seaman James Roberts, (Civil War) U.S. Navy. Aboard U.S.S. Agawam, Dec. 23,1864 (Section I, Row 26, Grave 2).
Corporal George M. Grueb, (Civil War), Company E, 158th New York Infantry. At Chapins Farm, Va., Sept. 29, 1864 (Section A, Row 2, Grave 3).
Sergeant Charles E. Morse, (Civil War), Company I, 62nd New York Infantry. At Wilderness, Va., May 5, 1864 (Section J, Row 4, Grave 24).
Sergeant John Kiggins, (Civil War), Company D, 149th New York Infantry. At Lookout Mountain, Tenn., Nov. 24, 1863 (Section H, Row 32, Grave 9).
Private George Ladd, (Civil War) Company H, 22nd New York Cavalry. At Waynesboro, Va., March 2, 1865 (Section C, Row 6, Grave 6).
Others
Private Robert Knox Sneden, noted for his paintings/drawings of the battles and leaders of the Civil War. His scrapbook albums are on display at the Virginia Historical Society (Section J, Row 11, Grave 14).
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FLORAL/GROUNDS POLICY
Cemetery policies are conspicuously posted and readily visible to the public.
Floral arrangements accompanying the casket or urn at the time of burial will be placed on the completed grave. Natural cut flowers may be placed on graves at any time of the year. They will be removed when they become unsightly or when it becomes necessary to facilitate cemetery operations such as mowing.
Artificial flowers and potted plants will be permitted on graves during periods when their presence will not interfere with grounds maintenance. As a general rule, artificial flowers will be allowed on graves from Oct. 15 to April 15. Artificial flowers and potted plants may be placed on graves for a period extending 10 days before through 10 days after Easter Sunday and Memorial Day.
Christmas wreaths, grave blankets and other seasonal adornments may be placed on graves from Dec. 1 through Jan. 20. They may not be secured to headstones or markers.
Permanent plantings, statues, vigil lights, breakable objects and similar items are not permitted on the graves. The Department of Veterans Affairs does not permit adornments that are considered offensive, inconsistent with the dignity of the cemetery or considered hazardous to cemetery personnel. For example, items incorporating beads or wires may become entangled in mowers or other equipment and cause injury.
Permanent items removed from graves will be placed in an inconspicuous holding area for two weeks prior to disposal. Decorative items removed from graves remain the property of the donor but are under the custodianship of the cemetery. If not retrieved by the donor, they are then governed by the rules for disposal of federal property.
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