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Jackson Andrew

Andrew Jackson’s Gold Box from New York City Goes to Mexican War Hero

In his last will and testament, Andrew Jackson bequeathed a gold box he received with the freedom of the city from New York City in 1819 for his defense of New Orleans at the end of the War of 1812, to that hero of a future war, resident in New York City and “most distinguished in defence of his Country and our Country’s rights.” After much controversy, the award went to General Ward B. Burnett, who had commanded the 1st New York Volunteers in the Mexican War.

[ANDREW JACKSON.] Printed card announcing the bequeathing of Jackson’s gold box to Brigadier General Ward B. Burnett, August 17, 1859. 2 pp., 4.75" x 3.125".  Some residue on verso from being pasted into an album.

Complete Transcript

Copies of Inscriptions on the Gold Box of Major General Andrew Jackson

"February 23, 1819.

Presented by the Mayor, Aldermen and Commonalty of the City of New York, to

Major General Andrew Jackson

With the Freedom of the City, as a Testimonial of Respect for his High Military Services.

[verso:]

HERMITAGE, TENNESSEE,

August 17th, 1859.

BEQUEATHED

By

MAJOR GENERAL ANDREW JACKSON,

“To that patriot of New York City, who (should our happy Country not be blessed with peace) shall be adjudged by his countrymen to have been the most distinguished in defence of his Country and our Country’s rights,” and

AWARDED

Under that Bequest, by the general voice of his brothers in arms, to

brevet brigadier general ward b. burnett,

Colonel of the First Regiment of New York Volunteers in the late War with Mexico.

Andrew Jackson, Jr., Trustee".


In February 1819, Mayor of New York City Cadwallader D. Colden presented a gold box to General Andrew Jackson for his 1815 defense of New Orleans. The box contained a certificate on parchment for the freedom of the city.

Jackson considered the box as one of his most valued treasures. It was one of the few awards he mentioned specifically in his will. He instructed that the box be given “to that patriot” of New-York City “who shall be adjudged by his countrymen or the ladies to have been the most valiant in defence of his country and our country’s rights.” In early August 1857, the New York City corporation committee voted to award it to Major Garret W. Dyckman, and Andrew Jackson Jr. (1808-1865), as the executor of the estate of his adoptive father and namesake, left Nashville to make the award. However, when several veterans of the Mexican War protested against Dyckman’s receiving the award, Jackson returned to Nashville. The veterans divided between proponents of Dyckman and those of Ward B. Burnett as colonel of the 1st New York Volunteers.

In 1859, the survivors of the 1st New York regiment voted that Burnett should receive the gold box. However, Burnett was in Kansas and Nebraska at the time, so future Confederate General Gideon J. Pillow represented Burnett, and John M. Lawrence represented his father-in-law Andrew Jackson Jr., at a ceremony at city hall in Nashville with the mayor presiding. Then, the Civil War intervened and prevented the presentation of the award. By the time the war was over, Andrew Jackson Jr. was dead. Once General Ward Burnett received the gold box, he treasured it, and it was passed down in his family until the family returned the box to the Hermitage early in the twenty-first century.

Ward B. Burnett (1811-1884) was born in Pennsylvania and graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1832. He immediately served in the Black Hawk War but resigned in 1836 to become a civil engineer. He re-joined the military to raise a regiment for the Mexican War and became colonel of the 1st New York Volunteers.  He participated with his regiment in the Siege of Vera Cruz, the Battle of Cerro Gordo, the Battle of Contreras, and the Battle of Churubusco, where he was severely wounded. Burnett spent the years between the Mexican War and the Civil War as a civil engineer engaged in the construction of dry docks at the navy yards at Brooklyn and Philadelphia. He served as U.S. surveyor general for Kansas and Nebraska from 1858 to 1861. In the spring and summer 1861, he repeatedly offered his services to President Lincoln but apparently did not receive a commission.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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