(CIVIL WAR NEW HAMPSHIRE) Staniels Rufus An officers letter

Sale 2517 - Lot 70

Price Realized: $ 406

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Estimate: $ 400 - $ 600

"STEADY, MEN, STEADY, IT'S BUSINESS NOW!"--BENJAMIN BUTLER (CIVIL WAR--NEW HAMPSHIRE.) Staniels, Rufus. An officer's letter on the Battle of Swift Creek. Autograph Letter Signed as "R." to his future wife Selina Aiken Cook. 8 pages, 8 x 5 1/4 inches, on 2 folding sheets; folds, 4-inch repaired closed tear. Camp [Chesterfield County, VA], 11 May 1864

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Lieutenant Rufus Putnam Staniels (1833-1890) of the 13th New Hampshire Infantry (a resident of Concord, NH) wrote this letter two days after the Battle of Swift Creek (also known as Arrowfield Church). As his regiment marched up a railroad track toward the battle, "Maj. Gen. [Benjamin] Butler & staff & Maj. Gen. [William Farrar] Smith & staff rode up past us, & as the old Gen. Butler passed, our regiment as well as others could hardly be restrained from giving him some hearty cheers, but the old Gen. moved his hand to them, saying 'Steady, men, steady, it's business now.'" Staniels and his regiment fared well in the battle, but faced greater challenges that evening: "At dark the Colonel asked me to go around & see to posting our pickets. . . . I heard an awful screeching & loud commands & I immediately struck off on the double quick for the regiment & found as I had supposed that the rebs had crossed & charged upon our pickets & also found that they had been gallantly repulsed by the 10th N.H. who were supporting that portion of the picket line which was attacked. Our regiment was upon their feet in an instant with bayonets fixed ready for action, but the 10th sent them back. . . . This attack was repeated twice after this during the night & were each time in like manner repulsed & I think it must have been with considerable loss. Taken altogether, it was quite an uncomfortable night & we were all kept pretty busy."