Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1848-03-02
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
saesa OF
GEN. WIN. q. BUTLER.
OF KENTUCKY.

GEN. WIN. o. BUTLER,
OF KENTUCKY.
From The retrospect it will be seen
hat IN all the wars Of the country, in
the revolutionary waf, in the las, Brit
i>h war, and in the present Mexican
war, the blood of almost every Butlef
able to bear arms has been freely shed
in the public cause. Maj. Gen. Viii
liam O. Butler is now among the high
est in the military service Of his cotin-
try; and he has attained this grade
from the ranks-the position Of phi
vate being the only one he ever sought
Al the opening of the war Of 1912, be
bad Just graduated in the Pennsylvania
University, and; was looking to the
law as a profession. The surrender of
Detroit, and the army by Hull, arous
ed the patriotism and the valor of Ken
tucky-and young Butler, yet in his
mipo'hy;+was amorg the fist to vclun-
teer. He gave up his books, and the
enjoyment of the gay and polished so.
cie'y Of Lexington, where he lived
among a circle offond and partial rela-
tl"ns-tne hope 10 crafty their ambi-
ton in shining at 'he bar, or in the po-
I''ical forum Of the State to join Capt.
Harris company ofinfantry as private
soldier. 4T .t.i
n Is
This retirement, which may almos,
be considered seclusion, was enjoyed
by Col Butler nearly twenty five years,
when he vas called out BY the Demo
cratic parry TO redeem BY his persona!
popularity the congressional district in
which he lived. II was supposed that
no one else could save it from, the
Wings. Like all the rest ofhis fami-
ly, noue of whom had made their mill
tary service passport to the honor
and emolume nts Of the civil stations,
he was averse TO relinqlish the attitude
he occupied 70 enter on party strug-
gle. The importantly of friends pre-
vailed; and be was elected to Two sue
icessive terms in Congress, absolutely
refusing to be candidate third time.
He spoke seldom in Congress, but in
two or three fihe speeches which APP
pear IN Tie debates, a power could
readily be detected which coulsf rot
have failed to conduct to the highes:
distinction in that body. Taste Judge
ment, and eloQnence, characterized ali
his efforts in Congress. A fine man
ner, an agreeable voice, and the high
consideration accorded to him by the
members Of al! parties, gave him, What
1t is the good for him to obtain, an at
ien'lYe gfatifed atnlieree.
N
In 1914 The same experiment was
made with Buffers popularity to carry
the State for the Democracy, as had
succeeded in his Congressional district.
He was nominated as the Democratic
candidate for Governor by the 9Th of
January Convention; and there is good
ground to believe that he would have
been chosen over his estimabe Wing
competitor, Governor 0ws'ey, but for
the universal conviction throughout the
State tha, the defeat Of Mr.. CIay's par.
ty, by the choice Of Democratic gov
ernor in August, would have operated
10 injnre Mr.. CIay's prospects through
out the Union, in the presidential cleo
ton which followed Immediately after
in November. Wish Mr.. Clay's pop
u'arity, and the activity Of all his
lriends-with the State pride so Tong
exalted by the aspiration of giving a
President to the Union more eagerly
than ever enlisted against the Dernoc-
racy, Col. Butler diminished the Wig
majority from twenty thousand to less
than five thousand.
The late military events with which
Maj. Gen. Butler has been connected
in consequence Of his elevation to
that grade in 1876. with view to the
command of the volunteers raised to
support General Taylor in his invasion
of Mexico-are so well known to the
country that minute recital IS not ne
cessary. He acted very conspicuous
part in the severe conflict at Monterey,
and had. as second in command under
General Taylor, his full share in the ar
duous duties and responsibilities in
Cured in that important movement. The
narrative Of Major Thomas, senior as
sistant asljutans general ofthe army in
Mexico, and hence assigned by Gener-
al Taylor to the staff of General But
Ter, reports so plainly and modesly the
part which Gen. Butler performed in
-subjecting the city, that it may well
stand for history. Tshis passage is Ia
ken from III .rThe army arrived at
.tbeircamp in the vicinity Of Monterey
shout noon September 18Th. That af-
ternoon the General endeasored by