Table of Contents
Scope and Contents of the Collection
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| Creator: | Delafield, Richard, 1798-1873. |
| Title: | Richard Delafield Letterbook |
| Inclusive Dates: | 1846-1849 |
| Quantity: | 0.25 linear ft. |
| Abstract: | Major General, U.S. Army; Superintendent of U.S. Military Academy, West Point; Chief of Engineers, 1864. Collection contains one volume, a letterbook belonging to Delafield while in command of engineers in New York City. Majority of letters are addressed to Joseph G. Totten, then Chief of Army Engineers. |
| Language: | English |
| Repository: | Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center |
Biographical History
Richard Delafield (1798-1873) was a Major General in the U.S. Army. A military engineer, he was Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and Chief of Engineers.
Born in New York City, Delafield graduated from West Point in 1818 and embarked on a 48-year career in the United States military. He served twice as superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and was engineer on the construction of many fortifications and coastal defenses,. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he served under Major General Edwin D. Morgan, helping to organize and equip New York State forces for combat and to superintend the defensive installations for New York City. In 1864 he was named a brigadier general and Chief of Engineers, a post he filled until his retirement in 1866.
Delafield was married twice: first to Helen Summers and then after her death to Harriet Covington, daughter of General E. M. Covington.
Scope and Contents of the Collection
The Richard Delafield Letterbook contains one letterbook containing drafts of Delafield's outgoing correspondence from 1846 to 1849, when he was in command of engineers in New York City. There are approximately 330 letters, and an alphabetical index of recipients is included in the front of the volume.
Most of the letters are addressed to Joseph G. Totten, then Chief of Army Engineers. The letters deal with construction of fortifications, topological surveys, acquisition of materials, cost estimates and building expenses. There are also copies of monthly reports to Totten on defense operations at Fort Schuyler, Fort Richmond, Fort Hamilton and Fort Wood, with frequent references to other New York fortifications, especially the Governor's Island facility.
In the small number of additional letters there is one, dated December 1848, to Millard Fillmore, then Comptroller of New York State, asking for information from Fillmore's office. There are also four letters to Henry Cruse Murphy in regard to land transactions, and one letter which mentions and quotes Sylvanus Thayer (Brigadier General, considered "the father of West Point").
Restrictions
Access Restrictions
The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.
Use Restrictions
Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.
Subject Headings
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Genres and Forms
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Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
Richard Delafield Letterbook,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries
Acquisition Information
Purchase, 1969.
Finding Aid Information
Created by: -
Date: 1973
Revision history: 25 Apr 2010 - converted to EAD (MRC)