Located on the grounds of the active military installation known as St. Francis Barracks, the state headquarters of the Florida National Guard, it encompasses 1.4 acres (0.57 ha), and as of the end of 2005 had 2,788 interments.

Administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, it is currently closed to new interments.

The first burials were soldiers stationed at St. Francis Barracks and veterans of the Indian Wars, including many that were transferred from burial grounds in what was then Seminole controlled territory.

During the American Civil War, St. Augustine was initially claimed by the Confederacy, but was quickly occupied by Union forces and remained in Union hands for the remainder of the war.

The cemetery also contains the graves of five British Commonwealth servicemen of World War II, a soldier of the Royal Corps of Signals and four aviation officers of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.