Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-07-19


I the Famous Woman Order.
The following letter from Gen. Butler
was received by gentlemen in Boston,
The order referred to was received by the
last mail from New Orleans:
HEADQUARTERS DEpARTsFT T OF THE GULFO
NEW ORLEANS, July 2, 1862.
Ny DEAR SIR I am as Jealous of the
good opinion of my friends as am care
less of the SANDER of my enemies, and
your kind expressions in regard to order
No. %, leads me to say word on the sub
ject.
That it ever could have been so miscon-
ceiVed as it has been by some portions of
the northern press is wonderful, and would
lead on to-exclaim with the Jew, 40, Faith
er Abraham, what these Christians are,
whose own hard feelings teach them to
suspect the thoughts of others.p
What was the state Of things to which
the woman order applied2
We were two thousand five hundred
men in a city seven miles long by two to
four wide, Of hundred and fifty thousand
inhabitants, all hostile, bitter, defiant, ex-
plOsiye, standing literally on q magazine:
a pain DAAy ASSAC4 ANL AC5hIuCLlQus Inc
devil had entered the hearts Of the women
of this town (yOu know seven of them
chose Mary Magdalen for residenee), to
stir up strife every way possible. Every
Opprobrious epithet, every insulting ges-
ture, was made by these bejeweled, becrin-
olined, and laced creatures, calling them
selves ladies, toward my soldiers and Off
GERS, from the windows of houses and in
the streets. How long do you suppose our
flesh and blood could have stood this with
out retort. That would lead to disturban-
anees and riot, from which we must clear
the streets with artillery-and then howl
that we had murdered these fine women.
l had arrested the men who hurrahed for
Beauregard. Could arrest the women2
No. What was to be done2 No order
could be made save one that would execute
| itself With -ozzfUus, careful thought I
hit upon this: @Womon who inSuit NV
soldiers are to be regarded and treated as
common women plying their vocation"
Pray how do you treat common wo-
man plying her vocation in the street,
You pass her by unheeded. She cannot
insult you2 As gentleman you can and
viii take no notice of her. If she speaks
her words are not opprobrious It is only
when she becomes continuous and posi-
tive nuisance that you call a Watehman
and give her in charge to him.
But some Of the Northern editors seem
to think that whenever one meets such
woman; one must stop her, talk with her,
insult her, or hold dallianoe with her, and
SO from their own conduct they construed
my order.
The editor of the Boston Courier NAV so
deal with common women, and out of the
abundance Of the heart his mouth NAV
speak-but so do not 1.
Why, these Shareholders of New Orleans
themselves were at once shamed into pro-
priety Of conduct by the order, and from
that day no women has either insulted or
annoyed any live soldier or officers, and of
certainty no soldier has insulted any
woman.
When passed through Baltimore on the
23d Of February last, members Of my staff
were insulted by the gestures of the ladies
(2) there. Not so in New Orleans.
One Of the worst possible Of all these
women showed disrespect to the remains
of gallant young DeKay, and you will see
her punishment, copy Of the orderwhich
l enclose is at once a vindicRtion and con-
struction of my order
can only say that would issue It gain
under like circumstances. Again thank !
ing you for your kind interest,
am, truly, your friend,
BENZ. T. BUTLER,
Major-General Commanding.