Transcribed from available photographs by Andrea J. Loewenwarter, Chair, Research Committee, Citizen Coalition for the Preservation of Blenheim, City of Fairfax, Virginia.

Updated: September 1998

There is a historic house in the City of Fairfax, Virginia that has inscriptions by Union soldiers on its attic walls. "Blenheim" had been in the same family for 4 generations until 1987 when Barbara Scott died.  Her husband died in 1997 and his estate (ca. 1856-1860 house and 12 acres--formerly 200 acres pre-1950s) was put up for sale.  Fortunately, a group of concerned citizens, managed to gather support and the City purchased the property in January for $2.3 million.

The inscriptions--soldiers' names, regiments, hometowns, drawings, thoughts, poems, etc. were never destroyed, despite the family's alliance with the Confederacy during the Civil War. Family and local history have said it was used as a hospital; there is also strong evidence that it may have served as regimental headquarters for groups.

The following is a partial list of transcribed names--just the NY regiments and soldiers with no regimental designation. The research group is attempting to document all regiments and soldiers.  They are are looking for letters and diaries in which someone talks about this site (the Willcoxon family farm--1 mile NE of Fairfax Court House).

The Coalition who pushed to save the house would like the site developed as a Civil War museum and interpretive site. A facility use study is being done.

29^th New York Infantry

RESEARCHER: Patricia A. Gallagher and Andrea Loewenwarter
RESEARCH SITE: Manassas Battlefield National Park
PRIMARY SOURCE: N.Y. Adjutant General’s Report, multiple volumes
SECONDARY SOURCE: Phisterer, Frederick. New York in the War of the Rebellion, 1861 to 1865, multiple volumes.

Deciphered on the wall as

I Vol John Beck
and
John Beck
and
John John B.
and
John Beck
29^th Regt
C.K. NYSV

JOHN BECK:

Residence not listed; 22 years old. Enlisted on 5/20/61 at New York City, NY as a Private.
On 6/4/61 he mustered into "K" Co. NY 29^th Infantry. He was discharged for disability on 8/25/62 at Fort McHenry, MD.

Deciphered on the wall as

John Dailinger                                                   John Dailinger
29 Regt NYS Vols           29 Regt NYS Vol
Comp K                      Comp K

JOHN DAILINGER:

Age 20 yrs. Enlisted 5/20/1861 at New York City. Mustered 5/4/1861 as Private, Co. K.
Wounded May 2, 1863 at Chancellorsville. Mustered out with company June 20, 1863.
Also carried on the rolls as John Dellinger and John Dehlinger.

Deciphered on the wall as

Sgt. F Gundermann of Comp G 29 Rgt NYV

FERDINAND GUNDERMANN:

Age 27. Enlisted 5/16/1861. Mustered in 6/4/1861 as Corporal, Co. G.
Promoted to Sgt. 2/7/1862. Promoted to 1^st Sgt. 6/14/1862.
Mustered out with company on 6/20/1863 in New York City.

Deciphered on the wall as

Kahler Comp G 29^th Regement Act. Colonel NYSV
Loest (bt?) From Philadelphia Pa

CONRAD KAHLER:

Age 22. Enlisted 5/16/1861 at New York City. Mustered in 6/4/1861 as Private, Co. G.
Promoted to Corporal on 11/1/61. Promoted to Sergeant on 3/3/1862.
Wounded August 9, 1862. Promoted to 1^st Sergeant 12/1/1862.
Mustered in as 2^nd Lt. 4/4/1863 Mustered out with company 6/20/1863 at New York City.
Commissioned as 2^nd Lt. 3/24/1863 with rank from 1/11/1863.

Deciphered on wall as

John Knapp 7 (?) Regt Comp K NYSV

JOHN KNAPP:

Residence not listed; 19 years old. Enlisted on 5/20/61 at New York City, NY as a Private.
On 6/4/61 he mustered into "K" Co NY 29^th Infantry. He was Mustered Out on 6/20/63 at New York, NY.

Deciphered on the wall as

George Wilhelm Kurz:

Possibly:

WILHELM KURZ:

Residence not listed; 24 years old. Enlisted on 5/20/61 at New York City, NY as a Private.
On 6/4/61 he mustered into "K" CO. NY 29^th Infantry. He was Mustered Out on 6/20/63 at New York, NY.
Promotions: Corporal 3/1/63. (Also known as William Kurtz and Kurz)

and, perhaps;

GEORGE KURZ:

Residence not listed. Enlisted on 7/1/63 as a Private. On 7/1/63 he mustered into "D" Co. PA Dale’s Cavalry.
He was Mustered Out on 12/1/63. (History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-5)

Decipered as

Julius Lhuntze
Comp K 29^th NYSV

Possibly:

JULIUS KUNZE:

Deciphered as

Michael Muller

Perhaps:

MICHAEL MULLER:

Age: 21 years old; residence not listed. Enlisted on 7/24/61 at New York City, NY as a Private.
On 8/12/61 he mustered into NY 29^th Light Artillery. He deserted on 7/15/63 at Washington, D.C.

Deciphered as

John Y Caingartner
Comp K 29 Reg                     West Meriden, Conn
NYSV

UNIDENTIFIED:

Deciphered on the wall as

Theodor Raifles 29 Regiment Comp K NSV 1862
and
Preusen (and) Theodor S Raifle Voluntierum 29th

THEODOR RAEFLE:

Age 26. Enlisted 5/20/1861 in New York City. Mustered in 5/4/1861 as Pvt. Co. K.
Wounded in action 8/29/1862 (2^nd Manassas). Mustered out 6/20/1863, New York City.
Subsequent service, unassigned Fifteenth Artillery. Also carried on rolls as T. Raeffle and T. Raffler.

Deciphered on wall as

Carl Schamberger
29^th

CARL SCHAUMBERGER:

Residence not listed; 28 years old. Enlisted on 5/15/61 at New York City, NY as a Private.
On 6/4/61 he mustered into "D" Co. NY 29^th Infantry. He was Mustered Out on 6/20/63 at New York, NY.
He was listed as : Wounded 8/30/62 2^nd Bull Run.

Deciphered on the wall as

Brown Shahan
2, 9, Regt. Pa . . . . of Regt. Comp K

UNIDENTIFIED:

Deciphered as

Frederick Staube NYSV NY Cop D:

Probably:

FREDERICH STRAUB:

Residence not listed; 33 years old. Enlisted on 5/15/61 at New York City, NY as a Private.
On 6/4/61 he mustered into "D" Co. NY 29^th Infantry. He was Mustered Out on 6/20/63 at New York, NY.

Deciphered on the wall as

Clemens Tritbar

CLEMENTS TRETBAR:

Residence not listed; 24 years old. Enlisted on 5/20/61 at New York City, NY as a Private.
On 6/4/61 he mustered into "K" Co. NY 29^th Infantry. He was Mustered Out on 6/20/63 at New York, NY
(Also borne as Christian Trettbar).