Ward B. Burnett, a Pennsylvania native, graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1832. He resigned from the army in 1836 and became a civil engineer. When the U.S. war with Mexico began, Burnett enlisted as colonel of the First New York Volunteers, and was engaged with his regiment in the seige of Vera Cruz, the battle of Cerro Gordo, the battle of Contreras, and the battle of Churubusco, where he was severely wounded. His regiment was disbanded August 1, 1848. Following the Mexican War, Burnett held positions as superintendent of the dry docks in the Philadelphia and Brooklyn navy yards, chief engineer of water works in Brooklyn and Norfolk, Virginia. From 1858 to 1860, Burnett served as the U.S. surveyor general for the Kansas and Nebraska Territories. Burnett died in Washington, D.C., on June 24, 1884, and was buried at West Point.
This collection is primarily comprised of records of the 1st Regiment of New York Volunteers, held by the its colonel, Ward B. Burnett. The military records include rosters, list of casualties, correspondence, and manuscript general and regimental orders. A leather-bound manuscript ledger contains the final regimental muster roll with remarks describing injuries, deaths, desertions, and discharges of its soldiers. Two officer commissions for Burnett are included (major, 1843; brigadier general, 1853) as are other Burnett family historical documents and a December 25, 1847 issue of
Open for research.
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Gift/purchase from Michael Vinson,
Gift/purchase,
Accessioned as number 2009-41 .
Ward B. Burnett Papers, 1806-1884, Unprocessed mss. 2009-41, OS609, Special Collections, University of Texas at Arlington Library.
Included in the collection is an 1806 legal document on folded parchment. Please ask for assistance before examining this document.
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