Daniel Butterfield

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Daniel Adams Butterfield
Daniel Butterfield
Born	(1831-10-31)October 31, 1831 Utica, New York, U.S.
Died	July 17, 1901(1901-07-17) (aged 69) Cold Spring, New York, U.S.
Place of burial	West Point Cemetery United States Military Academy West Point, New York, U.S.
Allegiance	United States (Union)
Service/branch	U.S. Army (Union Army)
Years of service	1861–1870
Rank	Major General
Unit	3rd Brigade, 1st Division, V Corps
Commands held	V Corps
Battles/wars	American Civil War Peninsula Campaign Seven Days Battles Battle of Gaines' Mill Second Battle of Bull Run Battle of Antietam Battle of Fredericksburg Battle of Gettysburg Atlanta Campaign
Awards	Medal of Honor
Other work	Composer of "Taps" Assistant U.S. Treasurer

Daniel Adams Butterfield (October 31, 1831 – July 17, 1901) was a New York businessman, a Union general in the American Civil War, and Assistant Treasurer of the United States.

After working for American Express, co-founded by his father, Butterfield served in the Civil War, where he was soon promoted brigadier general, and wounded at Gaines' Mill. While recuperating, he either wrote or re-wrote a popular bugle-call for burials, called Taps. He commanded a division at Fredericksburg, and then became General Joseph Hooker's chief of staff for the Army of the Potomac, sharing both the credit for improved morale and responsibility for the licentious behavior that Hooker tolerated in camp. He also became embroiled in Hooker’s political feuds with Generals Ambrose Burnside and George Gordon Meade. When Meade took over the Army from Hooker, he attempted to replace Butterfield, but his chosen candidates preferred to stay in their current assignments, so Butterfield stayed on as chief of staff, to Meade's dissatisfaction.

Wounded at Gettysburg, Meade sent Butterfield away to recuperate. He then served in William T. Sherman’s Atlanta campaign, before retiring from front-line service through illness. He later received the Medal of Honor.

In Ulysses S. Grant's presidential administration, he was Assistant Treasurer of the United States, abusing that position to manipulate the price of gold, and being forced to resign. He then resumed his business career.

Butterfield’s extensive war archives are displayed at Cold Spring, New York.