UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY MUSTER ROLL

Endorsed by future Civil War Generals' Irvin McDowell, and General Richard Delafield, when he served as the Commander of West Point

Two sided, imprinted document, filled out in ink. 10 1/4 x 15.

MUSTER ROLL of the Musicians attached to the Cadets of the U.S. Military Academy, from April 1843, stationed at West Point, New York. Itemized accounting for 42 cadets who were musicians at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. Includes enlistment dates, pay, recapitulation, with comments on some of the cadets such as confined awaiting trial, on furlough, sick and discharged.

Endorsed at the bottom as follows:

I Certify, on honor, That this Muster Roll exhibits the true state of the musicians attached to the United States Military Academy, for the period herein mentioned; that the "Remarks" set opposite the name of each musician are accurate and just; and that the "Recapitulation" exhibits, in every particular, the true state of the Musicians. Date: February 28, 1843. Station: West Point, N.Y. Irvin McDowell, 1st Lieut., 1st Arty., Commanding the Musicians.

I Certify, on honor, That I have carefully examined this Muster Rill, that I have Mustered and Inspected the above named Musicians- and that their condition is found to be, as expressed in my Remarks hereunto annexed. Discipline, Instruction, Military Appearance, Arms, Accoutrements and Clothing. As heretofore. Richd. Delafield, Maj. of Engineers, Comd. Post of We.[st] Pt.[oin] t.

Light age toning and wear. Very fine United States Military Academy Muster Roll with two beautiful endorsements by Irvin McDowell and Richard Delafield. Desirable West Point document. General Irvin McDowell commanded the Union troops at the first major land battle of the Civil War at the 1st Battle of Bull Run, Virginia.

General Richard Delafield: (1798-1873) Born in New York City, he graduated first in the West Point class of 1818, and later served as superintendent of the Academy for 12 years. During his 52 year army career, he performed engineer duty at Hampton Roads, [where the famous duel between ironclads the Monitor and the Merrimac took place in March 1862], and on the Mississippi River, and on the Atlantic coast defenses. He ended his career as Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army. When the Civil War broke out, Delafield who was 63 years old, helped to equip and forward to the field the New York volunteers. He also superintended the defenses of the Narrows, Governors Island, and Sandy Hook, in and near New York Harbor. He was promoted to brevet major general in 1865. After the war he served on a commission to improve Boston Harbor, served on the Lighthouse Board, and was a regent of the Smithsonian Institution.

General Irvin McDowell: (1818-1885) He was born in Columbus, Ohio, and graduated in the West Point class of 1838 where one of his classmates was future Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard, his future adversary at the Battle of First Bull Run, Va. He was later assigned to the 1st U.S. Artillery. From 1841 to 1845 he taught tactics at the United States Military Academy, and many of the students he taught went on to become Confederate generals who haunted him on the battlefields of the Civil War. He was awarded the rank of brevet captain for gallantry at the battle of Buena Vista during the Mexican War. Between 1848 and 1861, McDowell served as a staff officer to high ranking military leaders, and developed experience in logistics and supply. He developed a close friendship with General Winfield Scott, Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Army, while serving on his staff. He also served under future Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston. He was promoted to brigadier general in the Regular U.S. Army on May 14, 1861, and was given command of the Army of Northeastern Virginia. By July, political pressure demanded an advance by his half trained mainly volunteer army on the Rebels under the command of General P.G.T. Beauregard, at Manassas Junction, Va., where the railroad from Richmond to Alexandria, Va., met the line from the Shenandoah Valley. The resulting Union disaster at the 1st battle of Bull Run stemmed as much from misfortune as ineptitude although on paper General McDowell had a good and ambitious plan, but wasn't able to inspire his inexperienced officers and troops to execute it properly. He later commanded a corps of the Army of the Potomac which was detached to protect Washington, and in the 2nd battle of Bull Run he commanded the 3rd Corps. On July 1, 1864, he was assigned to command the Department of the Pacific, and in 1865 he was appointed commander of the Department of California. He then was appointed to be the commander of the Department of the East, from 1868-72, and he was promoted to major general, U.S. Army, on November 25, 1872. McDowell succeeded General George G. Meade as commander of the Military Division of the South, on December 16, 1872, and remained in command until June 30, 1876. On July 1, 1876, he served as commander of the Division of the Pacific, and in 1882, Congress imposed a mandatory retirement age of 64 for military officers, and McDowell retired on October 14th of that year. After his retirement from the army, General McDowell exercised his fondness for landscape gardening, serving as Park Commissioner of San Francisco, California, until his death from a heart attack, on May 4, 1885. In this capacity he constructed a park in the neglected reservation of the Presidio, laying out drives that commanded views of the Golden Gate. He is buried in San Francisco National Cemetery in the Presidio of San Francisco, Ca.