The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-05-15
The Redoub,abie Gen. Butler

sachusetts Generals exploits la Maryland, is
from the Baltimore Exchange, of the 10Th in-
slant
The greenest laurels that have been gath
ered In ting war nave been plucked by Gener-
al Benjamin +. Butler, of Mis achusetts
The earliest cheftaiu in the field he ha g
reaped the fruts-uf his diligence and courage
by achieving the first success of the carnuaign
he mas ennobled the name of Butler and of
Benjamin also, and has added lustre to the in
iiial r. HIS glory shall not wholly fade away
for though his grateful country should fail to
reward him with q eollec torship or foreign
mission, posterity will be mindful of his
wees, and history will record his deeds and
perpetuate his fame. On Saturday last. as
our readers will remember General Butler
assam ted and carried the heigh IS surrounding
the Relay House BY forced march in
railway train with twent ty- four hundred men,
ne reached the ground, and although he did
not succeed Ill surprising the yigiIant gsrrIson, ,
his ted resolution carried all before it
Inc WatchMan on the yiaduct was speedily
overpowered; the landlord, the bafkee per
and stable boys who were posted on this side
OF the river, shared the same fate, and The
three lawyers who held the Key of the posi-
tion were also forced 10 surrender. The gal
liant General proceeded at once TO fortlfy the
eminences he had won, aud he now announces
that his entertainments are "mpregnaDle. -
One prisoner has been taken, VINO has been
sent TO Annapolis. The losses which the at
tackIag column has thus far met with
are not greater than were, perhaps, anticipa
Lsd 0ae man has blown his own head ID /,
IN the haz1rdous atternpL TO clean his gun,
and another has been brought TO death ) door
through under done pies and tough ginger
bread An expedition so admirably pianucd,
and so successfully executed, would, under
any circumstances, rebound to the honor OF
the officer VINO commanded it; but we of
Baltimore who know the peculiar difiiculties
and periis which General Butter over.
came, are alone able to do him full justice.
We can understand the trium phaut joy that
brigade order which we published yesterday.
We comprehend the eKuItation win
which he congratulated his troops upon the
capture of lone Spencer, and thanked the
| two officers VINO performed that feat for the
GOODNESS prompLItude and zeal" which they
displayed. We can appreciate the prIdc
| wltn which he referred TO the private who
was killed by his own ramrod, rs "a heroic.
conscien tlous soldier, who died i'll The act OF
discharging his dHty." We acknowledge,
also, the eminent propriety of the rhetorical
style which the General has adopted in this
instance. A profusIon of tine words, and iu
exIgseration OF plain facts, are not only ne
cessary on such occasions as The present, bui
they are natural 10 some great men and We ,ol
course, Judge General Butler as he stands upon
the heights commanding Elk Ridge Landing, by
the same rules that We would apply 10 AN apo
leon who had gained the SUBMITS OF the Aims
Bat there Is one part OF General Butler order
which we cannot afford TO pass OVER without
an expression of strong disapprooation and
disgust, both because 1t contains q statement
| which we believe TO be utterly untrne and 2
| suggestion or threat which we feel ca He'd upon
| to pronounce co oWardly and atrocious 1t is
| charged in this order that one Of the soldier,
| ''has been poisoned by means of strychnint
| administered in the food brought into tn,
| camp" by the ''yendeTs OF supplies" whC
| have been permitted to visit il. Now thu.
| story has been for some days in circulation
| and the poisoned men have gradually
dwindled down from four or five tC
the number mentioned by General But
| al t.I,n 4.
| investig the matter agree that ta,
| sick man suffering from the effects O.
| unWholesome food, or from his own excess ea
| There has been, so far We can learn nc
proof whatever Of the presence of stry Gimme il
| an thing that he ate, and even if tne;e had
| been such indications, the natural inierenc.
| would be that the affair WAS accidental un.
| less IL could be traced 10 the agency of some
| personal enemy of the Individual whose lift
| was attempted No intelligent person cau tol
an ins tant, suppose that il any III screant her,
Intended to poison the members OF the MaSSa
| chusetts regiment the design would have re-
| suited only in the illness OF one sOldier Tht
charge is SO preposterOus that no man @
| proper feeling ana common sense ought Il
| have given II credit until IL was so au
| thcntca ted as 70 place its truth beyond reason
able doubt. But far from pursuing thi
| course, General BU tier seems to have cdugu
| 1T the opportunity to frame a libel agains
| this State, and to launch against its peopi
| one OF those diaboiical Ia tim2tions which Itvr
|
| He takes advantage OF rumor, ana POUNDS
| miserable calumny upon 1t, and the calumn.
affords him the excuse tor throwing ont
threat which he thinks will in timidate US
He tells us that he can place the poisoned Gu
| upon our tables. He reminds us that he '"ca
pnt an agent, with a word, int every house
| hold armed with this terrible weapon >
| and we may suppose that he is now feiicitat
ing himself upon the terror with W hich we ar
| stricken at the suggestion, and the suhmissiv
| attitude which we are, consequen y
| likely to assume. Let General Butte
| undeceive himself in this matter, an
| that right speedily. Let him not presum
| overmuch upon the endurance of this people
| Let him not even calculate on the torbeal
| ance of our citizens if he ISLANDERS or threa tel
| them. He and his troops are but intruder
here at best. They have occupied our teri
| tory without authority under the laws or th
| Constitution. They are temporarily hoidir
this State in subiec ction. All this is enoug
for to bear patiently. Let him, then,
careful how he Eliminates any more brut
threats from the camp which is Intended
| oVeraW we us; for, lust SO sure as he tribes Wit
| u.s. Just as surely Will he rue it. When II
blood of Maryland is up all the militiamen
Massachusetts cannot hold her soil against h
sons.