Family Group Sheet for Rufus Davis Hastings
Husband: Rufus Davis Hastings
Birth: 14 May 1839 in Horicon, Warren, New York, USA
Death: 07 Mar 1918 in Warrensburg, Warren, New York, USA
Burial: 10 Mar 1918 in Warrensburg Cemetery, Warrensburg, Warren, New York, USA
Marriage: 31 May 1861 in Warrensburg, Warren, New York, USA
Father: Asa Hastings
Mother: Anna Goddard
Wife: Mary Ann Sage
Birth: 30 Apr 1845 in Cutcombe, Somersetshire, England
Death: 21 Jun 1935 in Warrensburg, Warren, New York, USA
Burial: 23 Jun 1935 in Warrensburg Cemetery, Warrensburg, Warren, New York, USA
Father: Courtney Sage
Mother: Mary Ann Prescott
Children:
1) Name: Artemus Able Hastings
Birth: 24 Jun 1866 in Horicon, Warren, New York, USA
Death: 29 Jun 1947 in Warrensburg, Warren, New York, USA
Burial: 01 Jul 1947 in Warrensburg Cemetery, Warrensburg, Warren, New York, USA
Marriage: 10 Oct 1897 in Caldwell, Warren, New York, USA
Spouse: Cora F. Ovitt
2) Name: James Albert Hastings
Birth: 31 Mar 1868 in Horicon, Warren, New York, USA
Death: 11 May 1893 in Ft. Sherman, Idaho
Burial: 12 May 1893 in Ft. Sherman, Idaho
3) Name: Mary Ann Hastings
Birth: 20 Nov 1869 in Wanbeek, Linn, IA
Marriage: 12 Dec 1893 in Warrensburg, Warren, New York, USA
Spouse: James Milo Ordway
4) Name: Ann Elizbeth Hastings
Birth: 15 Sep 1871 in Warren County, NY
Death: 21 Mar 1930 in Glens Falls, Warren, New York, USA
Marriage: 19 May 1895 in Glens Falls, Warren, New York, USA
Spouse: Frederick Blanchard
5) Name: John Harry Hastings
Birth: 18 Mar 1873 in Warren County, NY
Death: 25 Feb 1885 in Glens Falls, Warren, New York, USA
Burial: Warrensburg Cemetery, Warrensburg, Warren, New York, USA
6) Name: William Henry Hastings Sr.
Birth: 15 Feb 1875 in Warren County, NY
Death: 11 Feb 1876 in Horicon, Warren, New York, USA
Burial: Warrensburg Cemetery, Warrensburg, Warren, New York, USA
7) William Henry Hastings, Jr.
Birth: 14 Feb 1877 in Warrensburg, Warren, New York, USA
Death: 29 March 1967 in Glens Falls, Warren, New York, USA
Burial: Warrensburg Cemetery, Warrensburg, Warren, New York, USA
Spouse: Jennie Maud Cilley
8) Name: Franklin Hastings
Birth: 01 Jul 1879 in Franklin, Franklin, NE
Death: 26 Feb 1966 in Glens Falls, Warren, New York, USA
Burial: Warrensburg Cemetery, Warrensburg, Warren, New York, USA
Marriage: 25 Jan 1905 in Warrensburg, Warren, New York, USA
Spouse: Clara Lavonia Prosser
9) Name: Ellen Lenora Hastings
Birth: 12 Mar 1881 in Franklin, Franklin, NE
Death: 26 Nov 1961 in Corinth, Saratoga, New York, USA
Marriage: 11 Aug 1900 in Glens Falls, Warren, New York, USA
Spouse: Lewis Howard Austin
10) Rufus Davis Hastings Jr.
Birth: 29 Apr 1885 in Chestertown, Warren, New York, USA
Death: 10 Jul 1966 in Pinehurst, Moore, North Carolina, USA
Burial: 11 Jul 1966 in Warrensburg Cemetery, Warrensburg, Warren, New York, USA
Spouse: Vivian W. Wertanen
A family legend is that Rufus Davis Hastings was an Aide de Camp for General Ulysses S. Grant in the Civil War.
ReplyDeleteRufus Davis Hastings enlisted in the Union Army October 16, 1861 in the 93rd 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 19th of May 1862 the 93rd regiment was detached from their division and ordered to White House Landing on the Pamunkey River for Provost and Guard duty. On May 21st Companies A, F, H & K were detached for Headquarters Guard for General McClellan. Rufus Hastings was in Company A. The 93rd 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 93rd 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.
The 93rd NYI was re-assigned to General Winfield Scott Hancock’s 2nd 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. On October 21, 1862 Rufus was discharged from the 93rd NYI and enlisted the same day in the 4th U. S. Calvary.
Rufus was in Company A of the 4th 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 was 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.
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.
Rufus enlisted in the 14th Veterans Reserve Corp on May 5, 1864. He would serve in and around Washington, D.C. until the end of the war.
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 93rd NYI and the 4th 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.