Rensselaer William Foote
Contents
Uniform
- Black Felt Hat of Renssalaer William Foote 1861–1862.
- Velvet Cadets Cap from West Point ca. 1835.
- Epaulets of Renssalaer William Foote 1861–1862.
- Belt for Federal Cavalry Uniform 1861–1862.
Journal
Diary of Rensselaer William Foote kept at Barrancas, Florida, cover with decoration in pen and ink.
Foote was an officer in the disastrous and cruel Seminole wars in 1841 when he kept this journal. After a term of service that included duty in Oklahoma, Arkansas and New Mexico territory, he died at the battle of Gaine’s Mill. It was the first battle he participated in during the American civil war.
The Journal and part of the uniform of Col. Foote are in the Collection of The Main Street Museum White River Jct. Vermont. see cin: li;184.09;ha
Editors additions are enclosed in square brackets: [___]. When a word is scratched or blotted out in an original document or source, the marked figures or characters are shown between brackets: <___>.
--David Fairbanks Ford, editor of the Journal and curator, Main Street Museum. White River Junction, Vermont, 2008.
Rensellaer William Foote, was born prob. Delhi, New York [William Rensellaer Foote], 12 Nov., 1815 [Foote Fam;205, foote fam rec ms Main Street Museum].
He died at Gaines' Mill, Virginia, 26 June, 1862. Buried at Arbor Hill, Delhi New York, in the family cemetery of his grandfather, Ebenezer Foote and his father, Charles Augustus Foote (US Congress from Delhi).
[The Official Record states, {June} 26 to July 1 —Seven Days Battles|The Seven Days’ Retreat. Army of the Potomac, Maj.-Gen. George B. McClellan commanding, including engagements known as Mechanicsville or Ellison's Mills on the 26th, Gaines’ Mills or Cold Harbor and Chickahominy on the 27th, Peach Orchard and Savage Station on the 29th, White Oak Swamp, also called Charles City Cross Roads, Glendale, Nelson's Farm, Frazier’s Farm, Turkey Bend and New Market Cross Roads on the 30th and Malvern Hill…” from his, the Sixth Corps, commanded by Maj. Gen. Franklin, there were “245 killed, 1,313 wounded, 1,179 missing.” The Sixth Corps, in the entire series of battles lost; “Total 1,582 killed. 7,709 wounded, 5,958 missing.”
“Capt. in 6th Infantry U.S. Army, Brevet Major and Acting Col. in the first battle in which he took part, and in which he was killed, Gaines’ Mill. Was stationed in Arizona when war broke out." Rensallaer William Foote,8 (Charles Augustus Foote,7 Ebenezer,6 Daniel,5 Nathaniel,4,3,2,1):
<ref>Abram W. Foote, Foote Family, p. 205</ref>
The Removal of the Seminole People/Seminole wars
The US government committed almost $40,000,000 to the forced removal of slightly more than 3,000 Maskókî men, women, and children from Florida to Oklahoma. This was the only Indian war in US history in which not only the US army but also the US navy and marine corps participated. Together with the desultory Third Seminole War, a series of skirmishes that took place between 1856 and 1858, the United States spent much of the first half of the 19th century in trying, unsuccessfully, to dislodge about 5,000 Seminoles from Florida.
Unlike the "Trail of Tears" that took place in a single, dreadful moment, in 1838, in which thousands of Cherokee people were sent on a death march to the West, the removals of the Seminole people from Florida began earlier and lasted 20 years longer. Just like that other event, however, the toll in human suffering was profound and the stain on the national government of the United States can never be erased. The Seminole people - men, women, and children, were hunted with bloodhounds, rounded up like cattle, and forced onto ships that carried them to New Orleans and up the Mississippi. Together with several hundred of the African ex-slaves who had fought with them, they were then sent overland to Fort Gibson (Arkansas), and on to strange and inhospitable new lands where they were attacked by other tribes, in a fierce competition for the scarce resources that they all needed to survive.” --[www.seminoletribe.com/history/indian_removal.shtml]
A Letter
""Rensellaer William Foote,"" Letter to his sister, Catherine Buren Foote, Washington, D.C. 9 March, 1862. Catherine Bruen Foote was born, prob. at Delhi, New York 14 Sept., 1811 [ff pp]. She died November, 1897. According to the Foote Genealogy she “never married but spent her time and money on good works.” [Foote Gen;205].
In pencil on front of letter: “Last letter received from Uncle Rensaelear Foote — Your have his Army hat epulattes &c.* He was killed during Civil war. He was a Capt. in the regular army”:
My dear Sister; I will to-night just drop You a line, and acknowledge the receipt of your two letters, and say that I cannot tell when I shall write again, as it will, or at least may not be convenient to do So often even that is, if I go into the Field which I shall do if I am not ordered back. A great many Regiments are constantly ariving and deposting. I hardly notice them As for news we know nothing of consequence. Of course [___] It has been a beautiful day, and looked and felt like summer. I feel much better. I took a ride out horseback to-day on my own horse. I met an old friend, General Hancock with an Orderly Soldier behind him, riding along. And was glad to see him. He used to belong to our Regiment, and I like him much. I also met the other day at the Depôt Gen. Todd who said he was going out to Missouri by the Cars to the Wars. - - he said he had been here all winter as a Delegate to Congress from Dahcotah Territory. He is a brother in law of Mrs. Lincoln. He used to be a Captain in our Regiment, and Genl. Buckener (the Rebel) was a Lieutenant of our Regiment What a funny World! - - - Well, well, I suppose it is all right - - -
I have written a long letter to Mr. Marvine and he will let You See the letter I suppose. I have Sent him Mr. Marvine, $461.09) Four Hundred and and Sixty-One Dollars and nine cents, (I believe it is) and requested him to let You have at any time, for Your own use, if You wish it, 1 or 200 dollars more or less - - - and if any accident happens to me I want my Property equally divided amoungst my Brothers and Sisters. I shall probably leave here at my boarding House, Mrs. Brents, Delaware Avenue, corner of I think [ ] street, One Trunk and one Bag - - - I don’t know when I shall write again. Remember me to all. Augustus Gould has not called on me lately as I expected he would, and I have no time to call on anyone.
Your Affec. Brother Rensselaer.
Miss C B Foote
Delhi
Del Co. N.Y.
- The proveance of this letter is from Rensselaer’s sister Frances [Foote] Marvine, thence to her daughter, Margaret [Marvin] Maynard or, more likely, to her niece, Katherine Adelia Foote of Delhi, NY, who gave it to her cousin Frances [Maynard] Ford of Portland Maine and San Fransico, California. Frances was the grand-niece of Rensselaer Foote. Letter ms collection The Main Street Museum.
References
<references/>
Citations
John D. Clarke, Congressman Thirty-fourth District, 1921–1925, Arbor Hill, 1797–1925, with pl. Reprinted from an article by Floyd H. Lincoln and published in “The Walton Reporter,” June 6, 1925.
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1744–1989, Bicentennial Edition, Washington, U S Government Printing Office, 1989 [alphabetical entries]
Dorman S. Purdy, “Descendants of Francis Purdy”, ms., New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, date, folder number.
Ebenezer Foote and Spencer, 1802, nypl ms.
Margaret Maxwell Marvin [Maynard], through Frances Maynard [Ford] pp., copies of Bible of other records of births and marriages. Collection Main Street Museum.
Katherine Adelia Foote, Ebenezer Foote, the Founder; Being an Epistolary Light on His Time as Shed by Letters From His Files; Selected by his Great Granddaughter... Delhi, 1927.
Foote Family Record, embroidered sampler showing the children of C. A. Foote, ms. Main Street Museum.
Abram W. Foote, The Foote Family, Comprising The Genealogy and History of Nathaniel Foote Of Weathersfield, Conn. And His Descendants..., two vols. Rutland, 1907.
W. H. Munsell & Co. [publishers], History of Delaware County, N.Y., With Illustrations, Biographical Sketches and Portraits of Some Pioneers and Prominent Residents, N.Y.C., 1880.
Henry R. Stiles, History of Ancient Wethersfield, N. Y., 1904.
Jay Gould, History
Mr. Abbot, “The Crisis of the Revolution”
