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Frederick T. Volk Papers

An inventory of his papers at Syracuse University


Finding aid created by: [Summit record]
Date: Aug 1978

Biographical History

Frederick T. Volk, a native of New York City, was a sailor before serving in the Union army during the Civil War. Mustered-in as a private in 1861, he progressed through the ranks, achieving a commission as captain of Company B, Sixty-fifth New York Volunteers, by 1864. Volk participated in the Battle of the Wilderness during Grant's campaign against Richmond in 1864 and was wounded in the Spotsylvania Court House action of the same campaign. Ordered to officers' hospitals in Philadelphia and then Annapolis for recuperation, Volk returned to the front lines in November 1864 and was active in the siege of Petersburg.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Frederick T. Volk Papers contain both military documents and personal papers of a Union army officer. The 112 items date from 1861 to 1867.

Company documents are of Company B, Sixty-fifth New York Volunteers, date from 1864 to 1865, during Volk's captaincy. There are clothing, camp and garrison equipage returns, muster rolls, ordnance stores, and statements of clothing allowance, arranged in that order. Clothing, camp and garrison equipage returns are abstracts of the expenditures of equipment during battle or while on march. Included with a statement of the cost of clothing, camp and garrison equipage is a table of money values. Two folders of muster rolls show enlistments, substitutions, discharges, sick leaves, deaths, and desertions, also noting duration of service and remarking on discipline, instruction, military appearance, arms, accoutrements, and clothing. Muster-out rolls are individualized records of service for soldiers separated from the service. The ordnance stores include reports of ordnance lost or destroyed and records of the receipt and dispersal of ordnance supplies. Statements of clothing allowance record the receipt of articles of clothing by noncommissioned officers, artificers, musicians, and privates of Company B.

Personal papers also date primarily from Volk's service in the Civil War. A black, leather-encased pocket diary, 1864-1865, contains notes jotted down just prior to and during Grant's campaign against Richmond, covers his service as captain in Company B, and records his impressions and varied experiences at the Battle of the Wilderness, the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, the siege of Petersburg (all 1864), and his convalescence at officers' hospitals in Philadelphia and Annapolis. Promotions and commendations include enlistment certificates, documents of appointment to higher rank, and records of commendation. Muster-in and muster-out rolls document Volk's promotions from second lieutenant to captain of Company B. The special orders consist of ordinances received by Volk as captain of Company B, and recommendations on their application under war-time conditions. Voucher certificates are records of indebtedness or accountability to the United States by Volk upon separation from service. Further details on holdings are given in the shelf-list.

Arrangement of the Collection

Material is arranged in alphabetical order within each series.

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.

Related Material

Special Collections Research Center has numerous collections relating to military history and to the U.S. Civil War. Please refer to the SCRC Subject Index for a complete listing.

Subject Headings

Persons

Volk, Frederick T.

Corporate Bodies

United States. -- Army. -- New York Infantry Regiment, 65th (1861-1865)
United States. -- Army -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Sources.
United States. -- Army -- Officers.
United States. -- Army -- Ordnance and ordnance stores.

Subjects

Soldiers -- United States.

Places

United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Equipment and supplies.
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal narratives.
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Sources.
United States -- History -- Military -- To 1900 -- Sources.

Genres and Forms

Diaries.
Inventories.
Invoices.
Muster rolls.
Receipts (financial records)

Occupations

Soldiers.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Frederick T. Volk Papers
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Purchase, 1963.

Table of Contents

Company documents

Personal papers

Inventory