From: spencer@panix.com (David Spencer)
Subject: Re: Ben Butler (was .....gee.....)
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 12:43:09 GMT
Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix, NYC

petersgj@cis9.b10.ingr.com (Gary J. Peters) writes:

>Butler commanded the Army of the James (I think it was called.).  I don't
>recall that much, good or bad, about Butler's command there.  Grant ended
>up relieving Butler for several reasons.  First I don't beleive Grant thought
>very highly of his military ability.  Second, Grant knew the troops (in
>Meade's and Sheridan's commands) didn't have any confidence in Butler.
>And Butler was the ranking general in the theater when Grant was away.
>He outranked both Meade and Sheridan.  Grant simply had more confidence in
>these two officers.

When Grant started his Virginia campaign, Butler commanded the Federal
enclave at Bermuda Hundred, on the peninsula between the James and the
Appomattox, that is, between Richmond and Petersburg. Bushrod Johnson
commanded the rebel troops covering the Richmond Petersburg RR.

When Grant decided to turn Lee's flank by moving to Petersburg, Butler
was supposed to attack out of the Bermuda Hundred onto the
Richmond-Petersburg RR. He would thus separate Lee, with the main army
around Richmond, from Beauregard at Petersburg. Grant hoped to mass
against Beauregard and take Petersburg before Lee could overcome
Butler. Taking Petersburg would effectively take Richmond, whether or
not he defeated Lee in the field; Petersburg was the hub for
substantially all Richmond's railroad communications with the rest of
the South.

The plan initially worked quite well; when Grant's first troops
arrived outside Petersburg, Beauregard ordered Johnson to Petersburg.
Now unopposed, Butler was able to break out of Bermuda Hundred and get
on the Richmond Petersburg RR. However, a rebel division coming down
the railroad was able to drive Butler off (although Butler outnumbered
the rebels).

Meanwhile, Grant lost two days at Petersburg through poor
coordination, giving Lee time to rush his troops from Richmond to
Petersburg down the now-open railroad.

Shortly thereafter, Grant removed Butler; I don't recall whether he
cited Bermuda Hundred as the reason. However, I believe that the
relief was without prejudice and (at least publicly) was for the
reasons Mr Peters cites.

Butler was then sent to command the Fort Fisher operation. He landed
his troops, but when he heard Hoke was moving on his rear from
Wilmington, he reembarked and returned to Hampton Roads. At that
point, Grant lost patience and asked Lincoln to relieve Butler. That
was the end of Butler's career as an officer, although I do not recall
whether that relief was with prejudice.


I'm at the office, so I can't consult Grant's _Memoirs_; I assume he
has an incisive summary of Butler. Butler was a very good
administrator at New Orleans (if you discount the views of the
die-hard Confederates in the city and his own bombast).

Also, remember that Lincoln had to create an army of several hundred
thousand from scratch. The pre-war army was a tiny frontier-outpost
force, and many of its senior officers deserted.  Lincoln had to take
his generals as he could find them. Until three years of war had
produced an outstanding set of young division and corps commanders,
the Federal army needed to get the most out of mediocre talent. In
that light, Butler wasn't great, but he wasn't criminally bad, either.
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