page_title: General Order No. 28
hierarchical_section_title: General Order No. 28
caption_attribution_description: New Orleans under Union occupation during the American Civil War. 1862 editorial cartoon from Harper's Weekly, Ladies of New Orleans before and after General Butler's Proclamation. The first image shows women spitting on a Union soldier, in the second the women pass by while the soldier tips his hat. Comments: This is a reference to a proclamation by Union General Benjamin Butler, at the time in charge of the occupation of New Orleans. Some local women had been showing disrespect to US troops in the city; the proclamation declared that such women could subject to arrest under the same laws as if they were prostitutes making public solicitations. While the cartoon shows the order as having the desired effect of stopping the disrespectful actions, actually Butler's order generated local resentment and international condemnation, and Butler was not long after relived of his command.
context_page_description: General Order No. 28 was a military decree made by Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler during the American Civil War. Following the Battle of New Orleans, Butler established himself as military commander of that city on May 1, 1862. Many of the city's inhabitants were strongly hostile to the Federal government, and many women in particular expressed this contempt by insulting Union troops.
  Accordingly, on May 15, Butler issued an order to the effect that any woman insulting or showing contempt for any officer or soldier of the United States should be "treated as a woman of the town plying her avocation," the solicitation of prostitution. The order had no sexual connotation, but it permitted soldiers not to treat women performing such acts as ladies. For example, if a woman punched a soldier, for example, he could punch her back. Known as the "Woman's Order," it was very controversial both at home and abroad, as women throughout New Orleans interpreted it as Butler legalizing rape. The general dislike over No. 28 even went so far as people printing his portrait on the bottom of chamber pots, and was a cause of Butler's removal from command of New Orleans on December 16, 1862.
context_section_description: General Order No. 28 was a military decree made by Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler during the American Civil War. Following the Battle of New Orleans, Butler established himself as military commander of that city on May 1, 1862. Many of the city's inhabitants were strongly hostile to the Federal government, and many women in particular expressed this contempt by insulting Union troops.
  Accordingly, on May 15, Butler issued an order to the effect that any woman insulting or showing contempt for any officer or soldier of the United States should be "treated as a woman of the town plying her avocation," the solicitation of prostitution. The order had no sexual connotation, but it permitted soldiers not to treat women performing such acts as ladies. For example, if a woman punched a soldier, for example, he could punch her back. Known as the "Woman's Order," it was very controversial both at home and abroad, as women throughout New Orleans interpreted it as Butler legalizing rape. The general dislike over No. 28 even went so far as people printing his portrait on the bottom of chamber pots, and was a cause of Butler's removal from command of New Orleans on December 16, 1862.
caption: Cartoon from Harper's Weekly, 12 July 1862
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