Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1848-01-29
oE n ER AZ BUTLER.

military reno~n. His grandfather was native
Of Ireland, but emigrated to America about the
middle Of the last century. and settled 10 Penn.
sylvsnis. When the war Of Independence
broke out the whole male portion Of h,s descen.
daDts. five stalwsrt sons, entered the army
The patriotism Of the sire and his children be.
came 20 celebrated that Washington once gave,
as . tosa-'Thc Buffers and their FIVE sons
L. Fsyette was accustomed to say OF them
When wanted thing well done. I ordered
Butler to do it
The subject Of this biography was The second
ron Of PercivaI Butler, the fourth IN order Of
these Eve revolutionary brothers. William q.
Butler had just finished his collegiate course.
ard was preparing to study law. when the war
Of 1912 broke out. The surrender of Detroit
aroused the patriotism Of every American. es.
Pecislly Of the scus Of Kentucky and q large
force Immediately volunteered to march on Ca.
NADIA and ehsstise the enemy. Among thoee
who enlisted was young Butler; he entered %
a private in Captain Hsrts company ri infan.
try but. before the army marched. was elected
q corporal. Socn after he was made an ensign
in the l7th infantry. This wing Of the army,
under Gen. Winchester. advanced on the river.
Faisin. which they reached after a toilsome
march in the dead OF winter No historian has
as yet done justice to the privations eDduret! by
these brave Kentuckisns. Butler WAS present
at both the actions on the Raisin. and each
occasion displayed great in,rep'dity. In the
first battle, which was fought on the 18th ofJa-
nuary 1914, the Americans were victorious -
In the second md more memorable one. which
occurred four days later, they were defeated.
| In this latter conflict Butler received dange.
rous wound. The manner in which he recei.
we'd il illustrates his bravery 20 fnrcibly. and is
60 we'll told BY Kendall, in his biography. that
we quote tho paragraph entire. 'A:ter the
route and massacre Of the rieh, wing. belonging
to Wells command, the whole force Of the Bri-
tish and Indsns was concentrated against the
small body Of troops under Msjor Madison, that
maintained their groucd within the picketed
gardens. A double barn. commanding the plot
of ground on which the Kentu :kisns stood. was
approached on one side BY the Indians, under
the cover OF an orchard end fence tho British.
on the other side, being 40 posted as to com
maud the space between it and the pickets. A
party iu the rear of The barn were discovered
advancing to take possession Oft. All saw the
fatal consequences Of the secure lodgmeut of
the enemy in place which would present eve
~ man within the pickets at close riff. shot 10
the aim Of their marksmeU. MSjor Madison
inquired if there was no one who would voun.
teer TO run the gauntlet Of the fire Of the Brl.
,ish and Indian lines. and put torch to the com.
bustibles within the barn, to save the remnant
of the little army from sacrifice. Butler, with
out moments delay. took some blazing sticks
from FIRE At hand, leaped the pickets, and run.
ming at his utmost speed, thrust the FIRE into the
straw within the barn. One who was ~ snx
'ous spectator Of the event we nsrrate, says,
although volley upon voliey VAS fired At him,
Butler, after making some steps on his way back,
turned to see il the FIRE had taken. and not being
satisfied. returned to tho barn and Get |, in ,
blsxe. AZ the eonHagration grew, the enemy
was seen retrra'iug from the rear OF the build
ing, which they had entered al one end ss the
flame sscended in The other. Soon after reach.
ing the pickets in safety, amid the shouts Of
his friends. he was struck by ball in his breast,
Believing from the pain he ielt that il had Pc
netrsted his chest. turning to Adjutsnt (now
!, GEM McCalls, one Of his Lexington comrsdcr
and pressing tis hand 10 the spot, he said, J.
fear this shot is mortsl. out while am able to
move, ! w'll do my duty To the anxious in
qulries Of his friend, who met him soon after
ward, he opened his vest. with smile, and
showed him ,ha, the ball had spent itself on the
thick wsdding Of HE cost snd on his bress,
bone. Hc suffered, however, for many weeks.
Butler was one Of the few wounded who es
capped the massacre. by which Proctor violated
his word and earned for himself an Immortality
4 Of shame. The young officer was marched
through Csnsda 10 Fort N,sgrs, suffering witt
pain, hunger, fatigue and the inclemency Of tn,
/, weather. His natural buoysncy Of spirit dis
4 not, however, give wsy, even under these die
couraging circumstances; and he whilec avs,
his leisure by cul,ivsting poetry, for which HI
4 had some talent In lSl4 hs wee exchanged
b and joined Gen. Jackson in the South, with th,
L rsnk of captain. He arrived st head.qasrtsr
. jus, in time to join 10 the attack on Pensacols
: being the only officer, at the head Of the new
/; Tennessee lsvies, who was thus prompt. Fol
It lowing Gen, Jackson to New Orleans. hs part
y cipated in the action Of the 23d Of OecembeI
q 1914 which WAS pfelmnaIy To the Rreat hat