Major General Daniel Butterfield Autographs, Memorabilia & Collectibles

Daniel Butterfield (1831-1901), the son of American Express co-founder John Butterfield, was mustered into Federal service as Colonel of the 12th New York Militia on May 2, 1861; the first Union regiment to set foot on Virginia soil (May 24). After service with General Robert Patterson at Martinsburg, Butterfield was appointed Brigadier General of Volunteers to rank from Sept. 7, 1861 and assigned to command a brigade in George W. Morell's division of Fitz John Porter's V Corps. He was wounded at Gaines' Mill in the Peninsular campaign, and thirty years later was awarded the Medal of Honor for his conduct on that day. He commanded the Corps after Porter's removal. Butterfield was severely wounded at Gettysburg while he was General George Meade's Chief of Staff. He became ill just shortly after commanding the XX Corps in the Atlanta Campaign and saw no more field service thereafter. In 1865, he was brevetted Brigadier and Major General in the U.S. Army. He resigned in 1870. He claimed to be the composer of the bugle call "Taps".