Hastings Family Legend

Legends

Today I thought I would talk about Hastings family legends.   Most families have one or more legends that have been passed down through the generations about famous or infamous family members.  The most common family legend is that three brothers immigrated to America.  It is interesting that it is always three brothers, not two or four.  Another legend is a Native American relative.  In this case it is always an Indian Princess.  As a genealogist I have learned that most family legends are not true but you have to follow these stories up because there is usually some factual information that served as the basis for the original story.

A story that my Dad told me was that my Great Grandfather, Rufus Davis Hastings, was an Aide de Camp for General Ulysses S. Grant in the Civil War.  Rufus and three of his brothers enlisted in the Union Army in the Civil War.  Rufus and Joseph survived while brothers Artimus and James were casualties of the war.   We can look at that at another time.

Term: Aide-de-camp (Civil War)

A confidential officer appointed by general officers to their staffs.  An aide-de-camp reported directly to his commander and took orders only from him. In a position of great responsibility, an aide was required to write orders, deliver them personally if necessary, and be thoroughly knowledgeable about troop positions, maneuvers, columns, orders of corps, routes, and the locations of officers’ quarters.

Rufus Davis Hastings enlisted in the Union Army October 16, 1861 in the 93^rd New York Infantry (NYI).   Under Major G. O. Haller they were constantly drilled.  In time they would become one of the armies most disciplined regiments.  On the 19^th of May 1862 the 93^rd regiment was detached from their division and ordered to White House Landing on the Pamunkey River for Provost and Guard duty.  On May 21^st Companies A, F, H & K were detached for Headquarters Guard for General McClellan.  Rufus Hastings was in Company A while his brother Artimus was in Company H.  This assignment put them in close proximity to the commanding General of the Army of the Potomac.  The 93^rd NYI would continue in the capacity of Provost Guards, for each of the commanding Generals of the Army of the Potomac, until the spring of 1864.  Thus they were in direct contact with Generals McClellan, Burnside, Hooker and Meade.  The 93^rd NYI was on hand at the Battles of Fredericksburg, Antietam, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. 

Provost Guard, were the military police of the Union Army during the American Civil War. They had a separate chain of command from the regular and volunteer troops answering only to the Provost Marshall of each Division or Corps. While in the field they acted as the security detachment for Division and Corps Headquarters. They protected Headquarters units and provided men to guard captured Confederates on their way to the rear. They provided security against Confederate guerrillas and raiders. They were often the only law enforcement available to civilians after the Union Army arrived. It was vital that the Union Army provide men willing to be fair and honest in their dealings with the soldiers and the local civilian populace.

This would seem to lead towards proving that Rufus could have been an Aide to General Grant.  There are however two problems with this theory.  First the 93^rd NYI was re-assigned to General Winfield Scott Hancock’s 2^nd Corp in March of 1864.  General Grant did not come east until he was promoted to commander of the entire Union Army on March 2, 1864.  The second problem is that on October 21, 1862 Rufus was discharged from the 93^rd NYI and enlisted the same day in the 4^th U. S. Calvary.

This was the start of the second chapter in his army life.  The 4^th U. S. Calvary was dispatched to Tennessee where they were involved in many actions.  It seemed that maybe that was where Rufus made contact with General Grant.  This proved not to be the case however, since Rufus was in Company A of the 4^th U. S. Calvary.  Company A was detached and assigned to Escort Duty for the Commanding General Army of the Potomac.  This would have put Rufus in even closer proximity to General Burnside since Escort & Orderly Duty was essentially the General’s bodyguard.

The Provost Guard were among the best troops in the Army. They were intimately familiar with military customs, courtesies and drill due to their proximity to headquarters, there were also a high proportion of veterans in their ranks. During a battle they helped to check stragglers, deserters and provided security detachments for Confederates prisoners. They were sometimes used as the Generals last reserve and turned the tide of several battles at critical moments by fierce fighting.

"Orderlies are soldiers selected on account of their intelligence, experience and soldierly bearing, to attend on generals, commanding officers, officers of the day and staff officers to carry orders, messages, &c. They may be taken from the guard daily or put on permanently while the duty lasts: in the latter case they are excused from all other duty that would interfere with their duties as orderlies."

This assignment for Rufus  proved to be short in duration since on December 15, 1862 he suffered a back injury when thrown from his horse.  This would have occurred at the time of the Fredericksburg battle.  It would appear that Rufus endured his injury for some time since we next find him at Turners Lane Hospital in Philadelphia.   At Turners Lane there was a young lady named Susan Trautwine McManus who was serving as a nurse in the hospital.  In her off hours she conducted Bible classes for the soldiers.  She also kept a diary which can be found today in the Pennsylvania State Museum.    The third entry in her diary reads as follows:

“Rufus Hastings
4^th Regt. U.S. Cavalry.
Home – Horicon Warren Co. N.Y.
Entered Turner’s Lane – 2^nd March.
A very large man, good natured,& kind. The first to whom I spoke with reference to Bible Class. A regular and interested member. Once a soldier of the Cross, but thought he was going backwards. Tried to persuade him to try again. Departed from Turner’s Lane without leave July/63, to return to Regt. Took my address before leaving.”

There is some conflict as to when Rufus was discharged from the 4^th U. S. Calvary.  One record lists the date as August 11, 1863 while another says May 4, 1864.

The third chapter of the story is uneventful.  Rufus enlisted in the 14^th Veterans Reserve Corp on May 5, 1864.  He would serve in and around Washington, D.C. until the end of the war.  (My brother John has the wooden truck that Rufus used for his belongings during his stint with the 14^th.  It is steneled with his name and the regiment.)

It would appear that like most family legends that the legend that Rufus Davis Hastings was an Aide de Camp to General Grant is untrue.  It is also easy to see how the facts could have been misinterpreted.  During his tours of duty with both the 93^rd NYI and the 4^th U. S. Calvary he was in close proximity with the commanding Generals, McClellan, Burnside and Hooker of the Union Army.  He was at and participated in some of the most dreadful battles of the War perhaps standing next to the Generals making the decisions. He most likely performed many tasks and duties assigned by the Generals.   That he was not an Aide seems to be of little consequence.   

Susan Trautwine McManus was accurate in her account.  Rufus was a “very large man.”  The average Civil War soldier stood 5 feet 7 inches in height.  Rufus at enlistment was listed as 6 feet 3 inches.  (Short compared to his brother Joseph who was 6 feet 6 inches but that is a story for another time.)