The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-07-25
Letter from Gen. Butler.

The following letter from Gen. Butler,
explaining his reasons for issuing the cele-
brated order in regard to the women of
New Orleans. has been received by gen>
tleman Of Boston:
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT or THE GULF.
NEw ORLEANS. LA, 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 kind
expressions in regard to Order No. 20 leads
the to say word to you on the subject.
That it ever could have been so miscon.
ceived as it has been by some portion of the
northern press is wonderful, and would lead
one to exclaim with the Jew, 80, Father
Abraham, what these Christians are, whose
own hard dealings teach then to suspect
the very thought of Others" -H
What was the state of things 20 which
the Woman order applied.
We were two thousand five hundred men
10 city seven miles long by two to four
wide. CT a hundred and ffty thousand inhab,
itants, all hostile, bitter, defiant, explosive.
standing literally on a magazine; spark
only needed for destruction. The Devil had
entered the hearts OF the women of this town,
(yOu know seven Of them chose Mary Mag.
dalen for residence) to stir up strife in
every way possible. Every opprobrious
epithet, every insulting gesture, was made
by these bejeweled, becrinolined and laced
creatures, calling themselves ladies, toward
my soldiers and officers, from the windows
OF houses and in the streets. How long do
you suppose our flesh and blood could have
stood this without retort9 That would lead
to disturbs nces and riot, from which we
must clear the streets with artIlery-and
then howl that we bad murdered these fine
women. ! had arrested the men who bur.
rahed for Beauregard. Could arrest the
women? No. Wnat was to be done? No
order could be made save Que that would
execute itself. With anxious, careful thought
l hit upon this: "Women who insult nv
soldiers are to be regarded as common wo<
men 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 gentleman you can and will
take 90 notice OF her. If she speaks her
words are not opprobrious. 1t is only
when she becomes continuous aud posi-
tive nuisance that you call watchman ard
give her 10 charge to him.
But some Of the northern editors seem to
think that whenever one meets a woman,
one must stop her, talk with her, insult her,
or hold daliance with her, and so from
their own conduct they construed my order,
The editor of the Boston Courier may so
deal with common women, and out of the
abundance of the heart the mouth may
speak 80 do not l.
Why, these she adders of New Orleans
themselves were at ouce sbamed into pro.
priety of conduct by the order, and from
that day no woman has either insulted or
annoyed any live soldier or officers, and of
a certainty no soldier has iusultcd any wo.
man.
When l passed through Baltimore on the
23d of February last, members of my staff
were insulted by the gestures of the la
dies ~ there. Not SO in New Orleans
One OF the worst possible OF all these wo-
men showed dl>respect to the remains of
gallant young DeKay, and you will see her
punishment, copy Of the osder which
enclose, is at once vindication and a con-
struction OF my order.
l can only say that l would issue it again
under like circumstances. Again thauki ing
you for your kind interest,
am truly your friend,
BENZ. f. BUTLER,
MsjOr Geueral Comm anding.