Winchester National Cemetery was among the first 14 national cemeteries established by an Act of Congress in 1862, created specifically to accommodate the enormous casualties of the Civil War's early campaigns. More than 4,500 Union soldiers are buried here, including many who were initially interred on nearby battlefields and later reinterred. The original boundaries of the cemetery reflect the geography of wartime Winchester — a town so contested that both armies used it simultaneously as hospital base and supply depot at different points in the conflict.
The cemetery remains an active national cemetery administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and later burials include veterans of subsequent American wars. The grounds are well maintained and open daily during daylight hours. The rows of identical white markers and the quiet formality of the site make for a powerful contrast with the surrounding city. Adjacent to the cemetery is the separate Stonewall Confederate Cemetery, where the Confederate dead are interred — the proximity of the two burial grounds reflects the fact that Winchester's civilians had to live with both sides.