Archive – The Forlorn Hope of the 89th New York Volunteer Infantry at Fredericksburg, Va. 1862.

Archive – The Forlorn Hope of the 89th New York Volunteer Infantry at Fredericksburg, Va. 1862.  Early in the morning of December 11, 1862, an idea was hathed to send 4 pontoon boats of 100 boluteers from the 89th New York Infantry, under the command of Captain Franklin Burt, Co “K” on a mission. That mission was to cross the Rappahannock River south of the City of Fredericksburg and dislodge the Mississippi riflemen, undercover in buildings along the shore, who were firing upon the Federal engineers engaged in building a pontoon bridge to cross that river. General Burnside offered these men gold medals for their bravery, but unfortunately these medals never materialized.  After the war, Captain Burt, with the help of other officers and men involved in the crossing, attempted for years to get these promised medals and to get the just recognition they were due.

This collection of approximately 60 letters and documents, contains the initial letter from Burt to General Burnside, enquiring about the medals, and Burnsides reply that no medals had not been struck by the War Department. It is doubtful that the War Department knew anything about them. Many letters and documents sent from the company officers directly involved in the action, sent Burt upgraded letters of the names they had remembered of those who took part in the “Forlorn Hope.”

Burt began the inquiry for medals in  1868, and many letters and documents begin at that time and continue for several years. There are some wartime documents that cover thoughts and remarks my his men, as well as his pencil account in Burt’s hand of taking a Confederate fort, and more. (The assault was on the Confederate Fort Huger, on the Nansemond, River on April 19. 1863.).

The archives consists of the following:

• 2 bust portrait from engraving of Captain Burt.
• Capt. Burt’s Jan. 28th, 1868 draft letter to Gen. A.E. Burnside.
• General Burnside’s response of March 16, 1868, on Cincinnati and Martinsville RR Co. letterhead w/ cover.
• War Department, Adjt.General’s Office letter from E.D. Townsend, of March 3, 11869, to Burt, replying that no list of names of those who crossed the Rappahannock was available “owing to the pressure of business at this office the request cannot be complied with,”
• Period document, List of Officers and men of 89th N.Y.S. Vol Inf who crossed the Rappahannock…men taken from several companies of the 89th.
• Wartime “Remarks and Battles- Officer and Enlisted of Co. K, (Burt’s Co.), 5 pages.
• Document – At the Battle of Antietam, Md. in regard to the death of a soldier from Co. “K”.
• 8 letters from company officers, listing names, and correspondence relative to the war.
• Document, “List of men who crossed the Rappahannock So far known this 29th Nov.. 1868.
• 3 letters regarding the 100 men written by Burt in 1869.
•  Muster-In Roll, Co “K” (Dickinson Guards) 89th NY. Capt. Burt, Sept.of 1861, tears in folds, staining,
• 1869 article of witness (manuscript hold copy) for Henry C. Crooker, who was in every engagement the regiment participated in – Great letter, mentions the “Forlorn Hope” and the promised medals, and more, transcribed.
• A lengthy personal history of Frank Burt, birth to wartime history – Good stuff! Looks like it was written just after the war, in pencil and transcribed.
• An article in pencil circa 1885 about the 89th capturing a Rebel Fort (Ft. Huger) in April of 1863.
• 1885 letter by G.E. McKeene, confirming that the 89th took Fort Huger.
• Letter from the NY State Historian, Albany, Feb. 26, 1897, to Burt having received his communication with Capt. James Hazley, 89th NYV, with a list of names under his command in one of the boats.
• More misc. paper, relating to the above and Burt.
• 8 document, etc, Pension manual, relating to the Burt Family, and information about the death of his brother, Albert C. Burt, who also served in the 89th.
• 19 more documents, letters, by 89th soldiers to Capt. Burt, and some regarding more names of those cross the river at Fredericksburg, with much reminiscing of their service during the war – most letters have covers, dated from late 70’s – 80’s and one rough wartime muster roll.

The importance of this historic grouping lies in the fact that 100 volunteers of the 89th NY Vols. got virtually little credit for their part in the crossing of the Rappahannock River, to drive the Confederate sharpshooters from their position near the city side, stopping the federal engineers from finishing the pontoon boats in the beginning hours of the Battle of Fredericksburg. These men took it to heart, and worked for years to received the promised gold medals from their commanding officer, Gen. Ambrose Burnside, and to make him hold to his promise of them. Frank Burt was the driving force behind that overall effort, but to no avail. There is a great deal of history here, as well as the description of taking Fort Huger, a Confederate Battery placed to stop federal ships and troops up the Nansemond River. Very little has been found on that engagement, except for the participation of the 8th Conn. who were part of the troops in that engagement. i have included research data with this archive.

Condition overall, otherwise noted, is in fine, legible condition.