Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1848-06-16
and was particularly distinguished in the bat.


the navy, the other a subaItern in Wavne,s
army. He was in the battle with the Indians
IN 1894.
Sd. Lieut. Col. Thomas Butler, of the old
stock, had three son, the eldest Judge The
second, Col. Robert Butler, was at the head of
Gen'l Jackson's staff throughout the last war
The third, William E. Butler, also served in
the army of General Jackson.
4th. Percival Butler, CAPTAIN in the revo.
lutlonary war, and dJutant general of Ken
lucky during the last war, had four sons ::
nrst' Thomas, who was a captain, and aid to
General Jackson at New Orleans; next, Gen'l
William o. Butler. the subject of this notice ::
third, Richard, who was assistant adiutant
general IN the campaigns of the war of 1912.
PercIval Butler, the youngest son, now dis
tngulshed lawyer, was not of an age to bear
arms in the last war. Of the second genera
ton OF Buffers, there are nine certainly, and
probably more, engaged in the present war
ms glance at the family shows the char
acter OF the race. An anecdote, deri yed from
a letter OF an old Pennsylvania friend of the
parents, who transplanted it from Ireland,
shows that It's military instinct was an inner
Itance While the five sons,'' says the let
ter, q" were absent from home in the service
OF the country, the old father took it in his
head to go also. The neighbors collected to
demonstrate against it but his wife said, Let
him go! | can get along without him, and
raise something to feed the Amy in the bar
gain; and the country wants every man who
can shoulder a musket''' It was doubtless
tins extraordinary zeal of the Butler family
which induced Gen. Washington to give the
toast" The Buffers and their five sons" at
his own table, whilst surrounded by large
party of officers. This anecdote rests on the
authority of the late Gen. Findley, of Cincin-
natl. A similar tribute of respect was paid 10
this devoted house Of soldiers by Gen. Lafay-
cite, in letter now eXtant, and in the possess
sion of a lady connected with il by marriage
Lafayette says, " When l aCanted thing 1relI
done, ordered Butler to do it,
From this retrospect, it will be seen that,
IN all the wars of the country-in the revolu-
tlonary war, in the Indian war, in the last
British war, and the present Mexican war-
the blood of almost every Butler able to bear
arms has been freely shed in the public cause.
Maj Gen. William O. Butler is now among
the highest in the military service of his coun-
try; and he has attained this grade from the
ranks-the position of private being the on
Iy one he ever sought. AT the opening of the
war of 1912, he had just graduated in the
Pennsylvania University, and was looking to
the law as a profession. The surrender of
Detroit, and of the army by Hull, aroused the
patriotism and the valor of Kentucky; and
young Butler, yet in his minority, was among
the first to volunteer. He gave up his books,
and the enjoyments of the gay and polished
society in Lexington, where he lived among a
circle of fond and partial relationship hope
to crafty their ambition in shining at the bar,
or in the political forum of the State-to join
Capt. Harris company of infantry as private
soldier.
Before the march to join the northwestern
army, he was elected a corporal In this grade
he marched to the relief of Fort Wayne, which
was invested by hostile Indians These were
driven before the Kentucky volunteers to their
towns on the Wabash, which were DESTROYED,
and the troops then returned TO the Miami OF
the lakes, where they made winter encamp-
ment. Here an ensign's commission in the
secC.d regiment of United States Infantry was
rendered to the volunteer corporal, which he
declined, unless permitted to remain with the
northwestern army, which he had entered to
share in the effort of the Kentucky militia to
wipe out the disgrace of Hull's surrender by
the re-capture of Detroit His proposition was
assented to, and he received an ensign's ap-
pointment in the 18th infantry, then part of
the northwestern army, under the command OF
Gen. Winchester. After enduring every pri-
walton in a winter encampment, in the wilder.
nesses and frozen marshes of the lake coun-
try, awaiting in vain the expected support of
additional forces, the Kentucky volunteers,
led by Lewis Allen, and Madison. with Wells's
regiment, 9th U. S. advanced to encounter
the force of British and Indians which defen-
ded Detroit On leaving Kentucky, the VOL
unteers had pledged themselves to drive the
British invaders from our soil. These men
and their leaders were held in such estimation
at home, that the expectation formed of them
exceeded their promises; and these voun-
teers, though disappointed in every succor
which they had reason to cipate-want-
ing in provisions, clothes, cannon, in every
thing-resoIved, rather than lose reputation,
10 press on to the enterprise, and endeavor to
draw on after them, by entering into action,
the troops behind 1t is not proper here to en-
ter into explanations of the causes of the dis
aster at the river Raisin, the consequence OF
this movement, nor to give the particulars Of
the battle. The incidents which signaIized
the character of the subject of this memoir a.
lone are proper here.
There were two battles at the river Raisin
one on the 18th, the other on the 22d OF
January. In the first, the whole body of In
dian warriors, drawn together from all the lake
tribes, for the defence of Upper Canada against
the approaching Kentuckians, were encoun-
tered. In moving to the attack of this forml-
dable force of the fercest, and bravest, and
most expert warriors on the continent, strong
party of them were described from the line
with which Ensign Butler advanced, running
forward to reach a fence, as a cover from
which 10 ply their rifles. Butler instantly pro-
posed, and was permitted, to anticipate them.
Calling upon some of the most alert and active
men of the company, he ran directly to meet
the Indians at the fence. He and his COM
rades outstripped the enemy, and. getting pos
session of the fence, kept the advantage of the
position for their advancing friends. This in
cident, of however little importance as to re-
suits, is worth remembrance in giving the traits
of young soldiers character. 1t is said that
the hardest veteran, at the opening of the fire
in battle, feels, for the moment, somewhat ap-
palled and Gen. Wolfe, one of the bfavest of
men, declared that the '' horrid yell of the In
dian strikes the boldest heart with alright -
The stripping student, who, for the first time,
beheld a field OF battle on the SHOWS of the
river Raisin, presenting in bold relief long files
of those terrible enemies, whose massacres
had filled his native State with tales OF hor-
ror, must have felt some stirring sensations.
But the crack of the Indian rifle, and his saw
age veil, awoke in him the chivalrlc instincts
of his nature; and the prompttude with which
he communicated his enthusiasm TO a few
comrades around, and rushed forward to meet
n r,-IyI HI