The Camden confederate. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1861-1865, 1862-07-25
Letter from Gen. Bntler I'm Explana.
ton of his Order Bcgal ding tho La
dies Of New Orlea ms.

Inc Boston papers publish the following let
ter, written home by Butler, explaining his rea-
sons for issusing his Infamous order regarding
the ladies of New Orleans. The scouEdrel as
sumes that he is a gentleman-his soldiers are
all, every man of them. Gentlemen always
pass by Common women" unhecded except
to call watchman, ifannoyed. No other way
of treating them was ever heard of among
troops. Therefore his orders meant no more
than to cenfer upon his soldiers the privilege
of giving the females of New Orleans in charge
to a watchman at discretion Pure Butler, in
noccnt Butler, ignorant Butler! Transparent
hypocritc and unblushing liar, as we'll as beast.
that he has lived to edite this precious cpistle,
is certainly marvel:
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT oE THE GULF.
New Orleaus, July 2, 1862. {
My DEAR SIR: am as jealous of the good
opinion of my friends as am careless of the
slanders of my enemies, and your expressions
in regard to Order No. 2s leads me to saw a
word to you on the subject
That it ever could have been so msconceived
as it has been by some portions of the North
ern' n'press is wonderful, and would lead one to
cxclaim with the Jew, 90! Father Abraham.
what these christians are, whose own hard deal
ings teach them to suspect the very thoughts
of others.
What was the state of things to Which the
woman order applied!
We were two thousand five hundred men i'm
a city seven miles long by two to four wide, OF
a hundred and fifty thousand inhabitants. all
hostile, bitter, defiant, explosive, standing liter
ally on magazine; spark needed only for de.
The devil had entered the hearts O!
the women of this town (you know seven Of
them chose Mary Magdalen that residence) to
stir mp strife in every way possible. Every
opprobrious epithet, every insulting gesture,
WAS made by these bejeweled, becrinolined
and laced creatures calling themselves ladies,
towards my soldiers and officers, from the win
dows of houses and in the streets How long
do you suppose our flesh and blood could have
stood this without retort? That would lead to
disturbances and riot, from which we must
clear the streets with artilery-and then
howl that we had murdered these fine women.
| had arrested the men who had hurrahed for
Beauregard. Could | arrest the women9 No.
What was to be done? No order could be
made save one that would execute ITSELF With
anxious, careful thought, l hit upon this,
"Women who insult my soldiers are to be re-
garded and treated as common women plying
their vocation"
Pray, how do you treat common woman
plying her vocation in the streets? You pass
her by UNDECIDED. She cannot insult you! AS
a gentleman. you can and will take no notice
of her. If she speaks, her words are not oppro-
brious. 1t is only when she becomes contin-
uous and positive nuisance that You call
watchman and give her in charge to him.
But some of the Northern papers seem to think
that whenever one meets such a woman, one
must stop her, talk with her, insult her, or hold
daiancc with her; and so, from their own con-
duct, they construed my order.
The editor of the Boston Courier may SO
deal with common women, and out ofthe abun-
dance of the heart his mouth may speak; but so
do not l. Why9 These sheadders of New Or.
leans themselves were at once shamed into pro-
priety of conduct by IT, order and from that dav