Daniel Adams Butterfield
Born: October 31, 1831
Birthplace: Utica, New York
Father: John Butterfield 1801 – 1869
President of Butterfield, Wasson, and Company
also President of the Overland Stage Company
forerunners of the American Express Company
(Buried: Forest Hill Cemetery, Utica, New York)
Mother: Malinda Harriet Baker 1799 – 1883
(Buried: Forest Hill Cemetery, Utica, New York)
1st Wife: Julia Elizabeth Brown 1837 – 1877
(Buried: Green – Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York)
Married: 1857
2nd Wife: Julia Lorrilard Safford James 1823-1913
Married: September 21, 1886
Education:
1849: Graduated from Union College in Schenectady, New York at the age of 18
Antebellum History:
1849: Involved with an arson fire in Utica, New York in which caused the death of a citizen
1851: Indicted for the crime of Arson based on a statement by a co-conspirator who was hanged
1853: Charges of Arson are dropped
Private in Utica, New York Citizen Corps
As an employee of his father, managed the time tables and schedule for the Overland Stage line running between Memphis, St. Louis, and San Francisco
Moved to New York, and became eastern superintendent of the American Express Company
Civil War Career:
1861: Captain in 71st New York Militia
1861: Member of the Clay Guards as Sgt. In Washington, D.C.
1861: Colonel of 12th New York Volunteers Infantry Regiment
1861: Served in the First Battle of Bull Run, Virginia
1861 – 1862: Brigadier General of Union Army Volunteers
1862: Author of Camp and Outpost Duty for Infantry
1862: Served in the Virginia Peninsula Campaign
1862: Composer of Butterfield’s Lullaby, a Bugle Call revised from another call known as Tattoo, it's first known use is near Harrison’s Landing, Virginia, the call later went on to be known by a more common name: Taps
1862: Wounded during the Battle of Gaines Mill, Virginia. Despite the serious injury, Butterfield seized the colors of the Eighty-third Pennsylvania and rallied the regiment to hold their ground during a critical time in the battle. This action allowed the Army of the Potomac to withdraw safely to nearby Harrison’s Landing.
1862: Served in the Second Battle of Bull Run, Virginia
1862: Served in the Battle of Antietam, Maryland
Major General for Union Army Volunteers
1862: Union Army Commander of Fifth Army Corps
1863: Chief of Staff to Major General Joseph Hooker
1863: After several incidents of mistaken identity among similarly uniformed Federal Units, Butterfield devised a system of unit recognition using different colored shapes for Corps badges under General Hooker's direction.
1863: Chief of Staff to Major General George G. Meade
1863: Appointed Colonel of United States Army, 5th Infantry
1863: Wounded on the 3rd Day of the Battle of Gettysburg
1863: Removed as Chief of Staff on July 14th
Chief of Staff to Major General Joseph Hooker
1864: Division Commander during the Atlanta Campaign
Light duty service in Vicksburg, Mississippi and in New York
Occupation after War:
1869: United States Assistant Treasurer
Executive with American Express Company
Active in the Grand Army of the Republic
1892: On September 26, Issued Medal of Honor for his role at Gaines Mill
Died: July 17, 1901
Place of Death: Cold Spring, New York
Cause of Death: Softening of brain and apoplexy
Age at time of Death: 69 years old
Burial Place: U.S. Military Academy Post Cemetery, West Point, New York
Medal of Honor Citation | The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Brigadier General Daniel Adams Butterfield, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on June 27, 1862, while serving with U.S. Volunteers, in action at Gaines Mill, Virginia. Brigadier General Butterfield seized the colors of the 83d Pennsylvania Volunteers at a critical moment and, under a galling fire of the enemy, encouraged the depleted ranks to renewed exertion. |
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