Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-07-03
Colonel William O. Butler, OF kentuchl'

| While youth, IN The war ol lciI, he sis' ~ 49,
army under Gen. Winchester as corporal IRON
which he was soon promoted 10 The place ol eh
sign, and bore with ioriitude and unshlink'hs Pa
thence the hardshps, privalions anu disasters
which distinguished tha, campaign 'ne aa'"c'
epoch in our military annals.
"EIe was in The TWO sanguinaTy batIies OF .ne
18th and 22d OF January, 1873 on lhe nlvel M,
sim on which occasions he sisnaiiHeu ii',nee' -
many ieats OF personal herols, OF "nicii .ae w,
lowing are brilliant examples. ~ vac aesI' =,
the 18Th, after the British and Indians hau pcen
driven from Frenchtown, they halted IN 'hicH
wool and awaited The advance OF Inc American
forces close fence thai crossed The open GROUND,
about two hundred wards from Inc roau, oieleu ~
the party that should occupy II, an almost ia'a'
advantage over their adversary Inc AineIcdu
line had advanced within about Inc same ais,duce
as the enemy, when large detachineh' - inuio
ans were about being despatched from Inc eGse
NJ the wo,d 10 secure The fence Young buliei us
covering this movsmen and kno"'nll 'he au' Gu az
,age OF preoccupyins this po'l'ion' instantly 'ooa
Ten 6iiaA" men and started ,oi ~. Sesners,e
struggle, each party running al toll speed, ana a.
rec,ly towards the other. Butler succeeded I'D
reaching lh- point first, and, CALAMITY REFUSING
the Indians. secured The Invaluable position Tor
The American column.
"During The bloody action which followed on
the 3D. was discovered that The British and IN
dams were abou, occupying large double barn,
about one hundred ana fifty yards in advance OF
the American lines from which they could Sc
curely pour The most destructive lire upon oui
already decimaled ranks. II was an oolect OF
vital necessity that this building should De de-
stroyed without a moments delay and at all ma
n ,d, ,pbn ndPN
hopeessly challenged the courage Of some OIL his
men 10 undertake the perilous task. The deSpe,,
rate nature of the enterprise may be estimated
from the fracl, that The British lines commanded
the whole passage from the American position
10 the barn; and large body OF Indians were
postsd in peach orchard behind fence along
which i, was necessary 10 pass nearly all Inc way.
Notwithstanding all these dangers, from which
escape could be but miracle, the brave Butler
promptly undertook the adventure. SeIzin@
brand Of fire, he leaped over the pickeis, ran Tor
ward through perfect tempest OF the enemy
muske,ry, reaching The barn just as The British
and Indians we're entering il on the opposite slde,
thrust the fre-brand into the straw, saw II KIM
die into blaze, and then relreaied IN me same
gallant STYLE, miraculously regaining the camp
without injury, although his clothes were literally
riddled with bullets.
nThe event OF The battle OF the River Raisin, OF
The 22d January, 1919. is well know. Col. But
Ter was among The prisoners taken by The enemy,
and reserved from The massacre 10 suffer living
death Of cruel llardshps ard barbarities, which
he underwent during 4 long march through Up
per Canada in tie dead Of winter, destitute oi
every comtor, Of life 10 Fort Niagara, whence he
was dismissed on parole and returned 10 Hen
lucky in The spring lie was made a Captain
in the United States infantry upon his return and
employed in recruiting until exchanged in 18Th
Immediately after, he joined lheiSou!hern army
under Gen. Jackson, whose confidence and es-
TEEN he won by his personal daring, energy and
skill A single instance Of his soldierly con-
due, will show the true character Of the man and
The soldier:
at occurred in The preliminary action of the
23d December, 1915, a, New Orleans. II was
late in The evening, when news reached General
Jackson that the British had landed on the lei,
bank OF the Mississippi Tie General decided al
once upon an attack. Accordingly, abou, dark
he 4ilh infantry, Che regiment 10 which Colonel,
hen Capt. b. beonged,) commanded by Captain
Baker as colonel, and Capt. Butler as major, with
another regiment, and the Tennessee and Louisi-
ma militia. lin all about lwen,y-three hundred
men, } marched down 10 attack The British, who
we're in force about four thousand; A furious
inset was made. Captain Baker having been
brown from his horse, and severely injured in the
OF The action, the command VI
he 44th regiment deyolved on Captain Butler,
who led his force on in the thick of The fight,
lroye the British before him for halt mile, cut
inc them down al every step until his impelu-
rus charge had carried him 20 lar in advance Of
he other portions Of the assailing parry hat they
were as much surprised as reJoiccd al his return,
,upposing from the perilous extremity IN which
MS bold pursuit had involved him. that he must
have been cui of. For this gallant and most
important achievement, he was brcveted BY The
President al The special request OF General Jack
son. In the great battle Of The 9Th OF January,
he bore conspicuous part; and alter that event,
unit, the enemy retired from New Orleans, his
emulous valor did not cease 10 display itself in
those exploits Of personal daring and prowess,
of which perhaps, The history OF no living soldi-
er can boast so numerous and so brilliant a Sc
res. He was appointed aid to General Jackson
in IsIG. and. having been retained in The SER
vice upon the reduction CT the army, resigned in
1917 10 lead no less honorable career in civil
lite"
The writer concludes with letter from Gen.
Jackson. ,as,ifying, the services and military ca
pacily of Col Butler and proving conclusively
his fitness for the high station 10 which he has
lust been called:
"HERMlTAoE, Feb. 20, 1914.
AMY Dear Sir: Your letter OF the 9Th instant
reached me by due course # mail. seize The
first moment 10 acknowledge lis receipt that my
debilialed state OF body would admit, and now
am scarcely abelo WELD my PEN
"You ask me 10 give my opinion Of The mill
iary services Of the ihcn captain, now colonel,
VIM O. Butler, OF Kentucky during the invest
ment Of New Orleans by the British forces in
1914 and 1915 | wish had sEfiicien; strength
10 speak fully Of The merit Of The services OF Col
Butler on that occasion; this strength have moi;
suffice il 10 say, that on all occasions he dis.
played that heroic chivary and camness OF
Judgment in the midst Of danger which disln-
guish the valuable officer in the hour OF battle
In a conspicuous manner were those noble quail
ties displayed by him On the night OF the 23d De-
cember, 1914, and on The S,h Of January, 1915,
as well as at all times during the presence OF the
British at New Orleans. In short, he was 10 be
found at all points where duty called. hazard
nothing in saying, that should our country be
again involved in war, during the active age OF
Col Butler, he would be one Of the very best Sc
lections that could be made 10 command our
army and lead the eagles Of our country on to
victory and reEown. He has sufficient energy
TO assume all responsibility necessary TO sue
cess, and for his counlry's good.
every respectfully &c,
s'ANDREW JACKSON"
In a speech on the Tariff Mr.. Darragh, The
Wing member from Pitisburg, and thorough
going "6i,y-tour forty" gives his views as to
what ought 10 be the result Of The Mexican war.
u will I've seen thar he rocs in for California, and