The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1848-07-01
sd Fd ~, From the Wsshington Union. ,s
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH oo.
GEN. WIN. Q. BUTLER OF KENTUCKY
M rRANc1s ?. sLArR.

Gen. Jackson's sense Of the services
of Butler in this memorable campaign,
was strongly expressed in The following
letter to q member Of the Kentucky
Legislature: -. ,a.i..s,s gr
80 flERMirAcE, Feb. 90, 1914.
NY Dear Sir: You ask me 10 give
you my opinion Of the military services
of the then Capt. (now ColoneD VIM.
o. Butler, Of Kentucky, during the in
vestment Of New Orleans BY the Brit
ish forces in 1914 & 1915. ! wish, ]
had sufficient strength TO speak fully Of
the. merit and services Of Col. Butler on
that occasion; this strength have not.
Suffice it 10 say, that on all occasions
he displayed that heroic chivalry,l and
caImness Of judgment in the midst Of
danger, which distinguish the valu-
able officer in the hour Of battle. In a
conspicuous manner were those noble
qualities displayed by him on the night
OF the 2sd OF December, 1914, and on
the 9th Of January, 1915, as well as at
all times during the presence Of the
British army at New Orleans. In short,
he was 10 be found at all points where
duty called. hazard nothing in say
ing, that should our country again be
engaged in war during the active age Of
Col. Butler, he would be one OF the We
~ best selections that could he made
TO command our army, and lead the ca
giles of our county to victory and re.
nown. He has sufficient energy TO as
sumo all responsibility necessary TO
success, and for his country's good.
ANDREW JACKSON.
General Jackson gave earlier proof
of the high estimation in which he held
the young soldier who had identified
himself with his own glory at New Or.
leans. He made him his aid-de.camp
in 1916, which station he retained on
the peace establishment, with the rank
Of Colonel. But. like his i|lus,rious pa
iron, he soon felt that military station
and distinction had no charms for him
when unattended with the dangers, du.
ties, and patriotic achievements Of war,
He resigned, therefore, even the asso.
citation with his veteran Chief. of which
he was so proud, and retired in 1917 to
private life. He resumed The. study OF
the profession that was interrupted by
the war, married, and settled down on
his ,patrimonial possession at the conf1u-
ence Of the Kentucky and Ohio rivers,
in the. noiseless but arduous vocations
Of civil life. The abode which he had
chosen made it peculiarly SO with him.
The region around him was wild and
romantic. sparsely settled, and by pas
toral people. There are no populous
towns. The high, rolling, ,and ye, rich
lands-lhe precipitous cliffs Of The Ken
lucky, OF Eagle, Severn. and other trib-
utaries Which pour into i i, near1the
mouth, make this section Of the State
still, 10 some exlenL a wilderness of
thickets--of The tangled peagine, the
grape, and nut bearing trees, which rem
dered all Kentucky, until the intrusion
Of the whites, one great Indian park.
The whole luxuriant domain was pre-
served BY the Indians as n pasture for
buffalo, deer, elk, and other animals -
their enjoyment alike as a chase and a
subsistence excluding every tribe
from fixing a habitation in il. It's name
consecrated it as the dark and bloody
ground; and war pursued every faot
that trod il. In The midst Of this region,
in April, 1891, VIM. O. Butler was
born, in Jessa,nine county, on the Ken,
lucky river. his father had married in
Lexington, after his arrival in Ken
lucky, 1892, Miss Hawkins, a sister 10.
law Of Col. Todd, who commanded and
perished in the battle Of the Blue Licks.
Following the instincts Of his family,
which seemed ever TO court danger,
Gen, Pierce Butler. as neighborbood en-;
croached around him, removed, not long
after the birth Of his 50 d William, 10 the
mouth Of The Kentucky river. Through
this section, ihe Indian war:path into
the heart Of Kentucky passed. Until
the peace Of 1874, there was scarcely
a day that some hostile savage did not
prowl through the tangled forests, and
the labyrinths Of hills, streams and cliffs.
whick adapted this region 10 their lurk.
ing welfare. From it they emerged
when they made their last formidable
incursion, and pushed their foray to the
environs Of Frankfort, the capital Of the
State. General Pierce Butler had on
one side 9ofbim the Ohio, o., the farther
shore Of which the. savage hordes still
held the mastery; and On the other, the
romantic region through which they
hunted and passed their war enter.
.r;ea. A nj har.. ns,n:.l L. .-..x. -