Representing: Union
1st MINNESOTA INDEPENTDENT BATTERY LIGHT ARTILLERY BATTERY
Organized: Fall, 1861 Ft. Snelling St. Paul, MN
Mustered In: 11/21/1861 Ft. Snelling St. Paul, MN
Mustered Out: 7/1/1865 St. Paul, MN
REGIMENTAL HISTORY:
The 1st Minnesota was a light (4 to 6 gun) artillery unit. It spent its period of service in the western theater of the American Civil War.
Leaving the state, the 1st proceeded to Benton Barracks near St. Louis, MO. From there it was transferred to the arsenal where it received its armament.
In February, 1862 the battery was ordered to Pittsburg Landing/Shiloh, TN. During the (4/6 -7/1862) battle at that place it fired the first guns in the famed "Hornets' Nest."
After Shiloh/Pittsburg Landing came the siege and battle for Corinth, MS (10/4/1862). Shortly thereafter, at Vicksburg, a section (2 guns) of the battery was the first to open fire on the enemy fortress. That firing continued until the city's surrender (7/4/1863).
During the spring of 1864 the 1st departed Vicksburg and moved up the Mississippi River to Cairo, IL. From there it travelled through Tennessee and into Alabama. In June, 1864 it joined the forces of Union Gen. W.T. Sherman as they marched to capture Atlanta, GA. On 6/9/1864 it fought in the battles of Atlanta and Ezra Church. Two guns and sick men were then left in Atlanta as the 1st "marched to the sea."
On 1/13/1865 the battery embarked for Beaufort, SC. From there it continued with the Union armies as they moved northward through the Carolinas. The 1st so thoroughly silenced a Rebel battery at Cheraw (3/1865) that Union Gen. Blair presented the unit with one of the captured enemy guns.
Participation in the Washington City grand review preceded final muster.
REGIMENTAL LOSSES:
Officers Killed Or Mortally Wounded: 1; Officers Died Of Disease, Accidents, Etc.: 1; Enlisted Men Killed Or Mortally Wounded: 7; Enlisted Men Died Of Disease, Accidents, Etc.: 29.
SOLDIER:
Residence: Plainview Wabasha County, MN Age: 20 or 21.11 yrs.
Enlisted/Enrolled: 12/31/1864 Plainview Wabasha County, MN Rank: Pvt.
Mustered In: 12/31/1864 Plainview Wabasha County, MN
Mustered Out: 6/30/1865
Highest Rank: Pvt.
Rank At Discharge: Pvt.
PERSONAL/FAMILY HISTORY:
NOTE: The birth - to - death biographical profile of Ozais Burdick was created in August, 2021 during the Covid-19 medical pandemic. It contains less depth of detail than many other biographies within this website because military service, pension and other veteran-related files housed in Washington, D.C.'s National Archives were not available. At a later time those documents may be obtained and the data contained therein added to the narrative which follows.
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Ozias Warren Burdick was born on 1/2/1832 or '33. His place of birth was Milton Chittenden County, VT.
The parents of Ozias were William L. Burdick (b. 12/10/1799 Westford Chittenden County, VT - d. 11/7/1881 Owatonna Steele County, MN) and Cynthia (nee Crandall b. 8/17/1796 Westford Chittenden County, VT - d. 1863 Plainview Wabasha County, MN) Burdick. The Burdicks were a farming family that, in 1850 was residing in Pierrepont St. Lawrence County, NY.
On 5/19/1858 in Sparta, WI Ozias married. His bride was Lucy E. (nee Farnum *) Burdick. Lucy had been born on 9/4/1838 in Westport Essex County, NY **.
During their years together Ozias and Lucy would produce six children. All six were living at the dawn of the twentieth century. Those children were: George Leroy Burdick (b. 4/30/1859 Sparta Monroe County, WI), Orlin Lincoln Burdick ( b. 4/27/1861 Plainview Wabasha County, MN), Ida Luella Burdick (6/6/1864 Plainview Wabasha County, MN), Carrie Lucinda Burdick (b. 11/7/1869 Plainview Wabasha County, MN), Asa Leonard Burdick (b. 8/27/1874 Owatonna Steele County, MN and Usher Lloyd Burdick (b. 2/21/1879 Owatonna Steele County, MN).
Looking at the birth states of the Burdick children, it appears that after their marriage Ozias and Lucy settled in Wisconsin. By April of 1861, however, they had quitted that state in favor of Plainview Wabash County, MN. They remained in Plainview until sometime before 1870 because the U.S. Census of that year found the Burdicks in Clinton Falls Steele County, MN. In Clinton Falls Ozias was employed as a "carpenter and joiner."
Dropping back a few years, at the very end of 1864 Ozias left his wife and family and joined the U.S. Army. Although what prompted this move is not documented, perhaps it was financial gain. By late, 1864 some very hefty enlistment bonuses or "bounties" were being offered to new enlistees. That, along with the lure of a thirteen dollar per month salary may have drawn Ozias away from hearth and home.
Without access to his military service records, trials and tribulations Private Burdick may have faced while in the army remain unknowns. We do know, however, that he survived The War and returned home to continue growing his family.
As earlier noted, when Ozias entered the military he and his family were residing in or near the community of Plainview, MN. Whether that was the home he returned to we do not know, but by 1870 the family had relocated to Clinton Falls, MN.
Interestingly, although the U.S. Census for 1880 also noted the Burdicks in Clinton Falls, MN, the birthdates of children Asa (8/27/184) and Usher (2/21/1879) indicate the family was in the Steele County community of Owatonna during those years. Did the Burdicks move from Clinton Falls to Owatonna, then back to Clinton Falls before 1880? We may never know the answer to that question.
On 2/7/1884 after having moved to the Dakotas, Ozias began the paperwork to obtain a U.S. Government disability pension based on his days of Civil War soldiering. At some point a stipend was granted, but without accessing his pension files early details of the payments is an unknown. As of 3/9/1907 he was apparently receiving $20 per month while on 6/6/1912 the payment appears to have been $24. By 7/4/1913 it may have climbed as high as $72 per month. More on the pension, later.
Where the Burdicks were living at the time of the 1890 census is not known as most of that population tally was destroyed in a fire. At the dawn of the twentieth century, however, the family had moved again as Ozias was farming in Grahams Island Benton County, ND. None of the other members of his family are mentioned as being with him, however.
On 11/19/1902 Ozias, Lucy and a twelve year old granddaughter moved to Port Angeles Clallam County, WA. Likely what had drawn them to the region was the fact that two of their adult children, Ida and Asa, resided in the area.
Ozias Warren Burdick died in Port Angeles, WA on 10/12/1914. Cause of his passing was noted on the death certificate as "old age." He was/is buried in the Ocean View Cemetery in Port Angeles.
On 11/14/1914 the widow Burdick petitioned the U.S. Government to continue receiving a least a portion of her late husband's pension which, as noted earlier, may then have been $72 per month. Lucy was given pension rights which, as of 12/29/1923 amounted to a stipend of $30 per month. By 2/7/1929 the monthly check was $40.
Lucy was granted residence in the Washington Veterans’ Home located in Retsil Kitsap County, WA on 1/16/1924. Apparently, however, if she entered the facility she did not do so until 6/7/1924. Then, it is not clear how long she remained there as she was readmitted on 2/7/1929. On this occasion it appears she stayed for only two days before returning to her daughter’s home in Port Angeles.
Lucy E. "Grandma" Burdick died in Port Angeles, WA on 11/5/1929. She was/is buried beside Ozias in the Ocean View Cemetery.
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*Alternate spellings include Farnham and Fairham.
** A second source placed her birth in Westford Chittenden County, NY while a third indicates St. Lawrence County, NY and a fourth indicates Westford Chittenden County, VT.
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