The Hampton National Cemetery is located about two miles northeast of Fort Monroe in the city of Hampton. The first burials took place in the cemetery in 1862, and were primarily Union soldiers who died in service or at the hospital at Fort Monroe. It became a National Cemetery in 1866. While primarily for Union soldiers, it also has the interments of 272 Confederate soldiers in their own section. There are eight Medal of Honor recipients buried in the cemetery. Their graves are marked with special markers inscribed with an enlarged gold-leafed replica of the medal of the awarding service and the words “MEDAL OF HONOR.”

A Quincy granite obelisk monument to commemorate the Union dead was constructed after the Civil War in the cemetery by the Union Soldiers buried there. The inscription reads: “In Memory of Union Soldiers Who Died to Maintain the Laws.” Two monuments, plain blocks, also built of Quincy granite, are located at the beginning of both Sections D and E, where 272 members of the armies of the Confederacy are buried. Both of these monuments are inscribed: TO OUR CONFEDERATE DEAD. It is fitting enemies in life lie together in death.

The cemetery also has the interred remains of World War II prisoners of war, 55 German and 5 Italian. It also has the remains of 28 sailors from the German submarine U-85, which was sunk by USS Roper off Cape Hatteras in 1942.

Hampton National Cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 26, 1996.