Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1873-07-02
General William O. Butler,

Every now and then there appears
some name above the surface Of that
great ocean, the forgotten past, which
makes us pause, while it recalls recol.
lections Of happier and grander
epoch 10 our history. Few of the
youth Of the present day have, per-
haps, (says the Richmond ENQUIRER, ]
ever even heard the name Of General
William o. Butler, Of kentucky, ut
tered; while doubtless the great ma.
jority Of his surviving contemporaries,
as well as that younger generation
with whom his name was as familiar
as households words . quarter of a
century ago, have long since number,
cd him with the dead. But the vet.
eran still lives, and is passing the quiet
years Of q green and lusty age in the
retirement Of private life, surround ded
by his family, and enjoying the love
and respect of his neighbors in the
peaceful shades of Kentucky.
1t Is not surprising, In view Of the
rapidity with which history has been
made in the past score of years, that
many who were too old to take an &C.
tive part in the stirring events of the
times should have been lost to view,
however dear to memory they still re-
main. We have had little time to de-
vote to greatness that was in retire
ment ore clipsc and there are many
heroes of the past, and statesmen, who
a-e forgotten or laid upon the shelf, at
the mention of whose names we are
wont TO express amazement, that they
should still be found among tho living
No doubt 1t sounded strange to many
ears when announced recently that
President Grant was the guest Of Gen.
eral Harney at 81. Louis; for there
are few who did not believe that aged
veteran had long since passed away,
and only his immediate neighbors and
those having access to the Army Reg
lister were aware OF his continued ex-
istence.
But that General William o. Butler
should have been forgotten so soon,
and before the grave had claimed its
due, does not speak much for either
the gratitude or the reverence of the
age in which we live and move, for il
is within our own iefmemory when
be stood one of the foremost men and
most trusted and gallant soldiers of
all this Republic. In 1916 appointed
by President Polk Major General of
Volunteers in the Army operating in
Mexico, he took command Of all ofthat
arm of the service attached to the
corps of General Taylor on the Rio
Grande. He was in active command
of the First Volunteer Division ut the
storming OF Monterey, his forces con.
sisting Of Jefferson Davis's lst Missis-
sippi Rifles, the 1st Tennessee, the lst
Ohio, and the 1st Kentucky Regiments
of Infantry. His Brigadiers were
Generals Quitman and Hamer. His.
tory has told us of the splendid
achievements of this gallant band OF
citizen soldiery in that affray-their
baptismaI battle. General Butler was
subsequently ordered to the Vera Cruz
line, and soon became second in com.
mand 10 Scott. He fought from tho
sea TO the gates Of Belen, and when
General Scott was relieved to be tried
by court of Inquiry, Butler was the
officer selected to take his place, which
ho filed with marked ability to the
end Of the war. So great was his
reputation at that time, that he was
placed on the Democratic ticket with
Lewis Cass as tho candidate for Vice.
President against Taylor and Fill.
moro. He was defeated, and since
then he hos been literally lost to sight.
Occasionally be has been heard from
vaguely through the press, but of late
years even these casr,l references
have grown less frequent, until be had
become quite forgotten. But, in look
ing over our exchanges recently, we
happened to meet with his name, and
in what connection, indulgent reader,
would you supposeI AS q soldier--a
statesman--a philosophers politi-
clan No; in neither capacity, but
as o poet! We had never dreamed the
graceful and distinguished old soldier
bad courted the Muses., but it appears,
nevertheless, that such was the case.
The Staunton Spectator is entitled to
the credit of making this discovery,
as it publishes the following pathetic
little poem, sent it by q friend, from
the pen of the subject of our remarks:
the FADED LEAF.