Zion Union Cemetery

The Zion Union Cemetery is an African-American cemetery holding at least thirty-eight veterans of the United States Colored Troops (USCT).

Mercersburg had the largest population of free African-Americans in central Pennsylvania before the outbreak of the Civil War, a remarkable percentage of whom volunteered for the Union Army when it began accepting African-American troops in 1863. Of these men, forty-four enlisted in either the 54^thor 55^th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, and another forty-four enlisted in a variety of regiments within the USCT. Mercersburg was second only to Philadelphia in supplying troops for these regiments. At least thirty-eight veterans are buried in the Zion Union Cemetery, including thirteen members of the 54^th Massachusetts, which constitutes the largest known burial site of 54^th troops in a private cemetery. The 54^th Massachusetts became famous for its valor and helped spur African-American recruiting by the Union Army in the remaining years of the war.