Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-10-17
"CONTRABAND OF WAR"
How and From Whom Ben Butler
Stole the Famous Phrase.


The gnbernational canvass in
Mass. seems to have brought all Of
General Buffers enemies to the sur
face, and among others is a writer
who signs himself, "a Massachu-
sets Soldier of Two Wars" who
shows that the hero Of Big Bethel
has long been wearing the laurels
that rightfully belong to another
Massachusetts officer. 1t is well re-
membered that at tho time Major
General Benjamin +. Butler sue
cecded Col. Dimmick in the COM
mand at Fortress Monroe in '6l, the
slaves were escaping from their
masters and flocking into the Fort
ress from all directions, far and
near, and it became matter of Sc
rious difficulty to provide employ
ment for them and keep them out of
mischief. 1t was suggested to the
officers OF the various corps from
headquarters that it would be u
very desirable thing for them to
take the most likely Of these slaves
for servants, and thus provide both
for their subsistence and employ
ment. The suggestion was acted
upon affirmatively.
Among other slaves was q negro
called Luke, the proprietor of a wife
and three children, whom he
brought into Fortress with him.
Not long after entering the services
of the writer named, a Colonel NAL
lorv, Virginian, together with
others, made demand on General
Butler for the rendition OF their fu-
gitive bondmen. To this demand
General Butler replied that if the
demandants would take the oath of
allegiance to the United States he
would return their slaves to them.
The news of this demand and the
Generals response excited COM
ments and remarks, and Governor
John A. Andrew, of Massachusetts,
was especially indignant. The next
morning General Buffers nephew
came to the quarters of the "Massa-
chusetts Soldier of Two Wars" and
said, captain, you are ordered to
report at headquarters instantly"
Butler had become furious respect.
ing what had been told Luke, the
negro, that no power on earth could
send him back into slavery again.
The subordinate officer reported in
person.
The General sat with his arms
crossed on his chest, head up, and
countcnancc full of genuine fury.
Then in a loud and aggravated
voice, he said:
81 understand, Captain T, that
you have been telling the negroes
here that they can't be sent back to
thrir masters. Now, sir, l want to
know by what authority you have
told them SOP"
Looking the General straight in
the eye that was on duty at that
time, l said:
"By what authority, General But.
Ter? BY the authority of common
sense"
At this the General broke out,
ith a roar like q lion:
"What do YOU mean by that, sir?"
replied: 81 will tell you, sir,
what mean by that; but first allow
me to reduce your allegation within
the bounds of fact. have not told
the negroes that they could not be
sent back to their masters. But
have told my negro servant, Luke,
that neither you, General Butler,
nor President Lincoln himself, can
send him back to his former master
And the case is this: Luke's form.
er master sent him TO work, or per.
mitted him to be put to work, upon
the Notifications upon Sewall's poin,
and Coney Island. That act OF
Luke's master made Luke contra.
band of war, and liable to be confis.
Gated to the United States in case
he should ever be found within our
lines. either by his own act or by
the advance of our forces. While
thus employed on the encmy's forti.
fications he escaped from them and
came within our lines; that made
the confiscation of him to the Uni.
ted States, as far as his masters
right of property in him was con-
cerned, complete, and Luke instant,
ly acquired a status in peysonan,
which he never had before, and
that status is that of a freeman, and
is now indefeasible. HIS master
cannot demand him, for he held him
only as a chattel, and as a chattel
employed him IN acts of war against
the United States. The United
States cannot hold him as slave OF
chattel, because as government we
do not recognize slavery as a ma.
tional institution. Therefore rs q
chattel OF his master he is confisca.
ted to the United States as contra.