Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-07-23
RIITLER'S DENIAL.

The following is the letter Of Gen. IS. t.
Bn,ler, notice of which has here ,fore ap-
feared 10 the Gazette denying the charges
which ''Fighting Joe" Hooker is said to have
brought against HIM
BosToN, July is, 1874.
r, he e,litor Of tie Herald:
,,c goug the rounds of the newspapers ex-
rr;.ts from d statement OF which General Hook
rr !. alleged to be the author, but CT which |
have not seen the whole, that when Butter
y., in colnnaud Of the Army OF the James he
r,n.lrcd The colored troops to deposit their
nnutv aud yaluablcs at headquarters for sale
Keeping" aud the further statement that
..wncu one oil these poor devils got knocked
over aud put under ground, do you suppose,
asks Fighting Joe, the money he had left
al Buffers headquarters WAS ever heard from
agnu? Not ceut of ii. Ii all went to the
credit and account Of Butler, who made at the
hast 81 ,0OO, ,yUU in This way out OF The poor
negro regiments on the Jdmes. | was with
the Amy 10 Virginia, aud learned the facts
about that business, which ought TO be told.
do uot think that any intelligent mau ought
10 require NE 10 state even that there Is uUt
word OF truth 10 all this. Nobody ouce ku, W
better than Gen. Hooker that an order issued
tya couu.audinp general of such description
wou.d have TO Ue fl led in duplicate at the War
department, published TO the troops, and
would be as well known aud as thoroughly un-
ter>luoG ty the country at the time o. It's issue
even, as Was the battle OF charlottesville.
There were % 900 coored troops III TIC army
O, tic Jam, uuder my comuard, with full
ompI>mcut of sagacru, aud Vlgilcnt officers,
caci. Que OF whom must have seer and known
of the cx stence OF this order and the facts OF
the dcpcs.t of the money aud vaiuaDles of their
tbo III. ,,r.,l
Hooker never was with tie Army OF Virginia
after he was relieved from Characteristic, long
before Gen. Butler took command OF the Army
of the James, aud therefore could not have
learned "lhe facts about that business there
Poor Gen. Hooker If he made this insane
statement attributed to him there Is an apology
III the ,mpaircd condition of the mind arising
from the paralyzed state oil his body. HIS friends
would do him kindness To take him III care
ful charge, as the cJuu.ry would regret to see
one OF It's heroes SO tarnlsil his weil-carued
fame.
To the exact contrary Of this SANDER, say
iugs bank was established at Norfolk for the
teucht OF the coiored troops, so that they
might have place to deposit their meney uu-
der charge Of a quartcrmastcr OF the army,
which was transferred to the FreedmeufS Bu-
lcau at the close OF the war, aud the accounts
duly settled and vouched for long after Gen.
Butler was relieved OF the command OF the
Army OF the James
Inc apparent respectability of the source OF
this SANDER leads NE to break !. custom, which
is, not to reply to newspaper sandcrs, but to
50 order my lille that it shall be .an answer to
ALL From this one, however learn all.
here aver after ten years careful espion-
age Into my affairs by every enemy OF mine
with equal fearlessuess, that every accusation
tvuchiug NY acts during the war 10 clvl! ad.
mlu,stratuu is equally untrue, and defy proof
or probable evidence to the countrary
BENJAMIN L. BUTLER