Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1883-02-10
BUFFERS STRATEGY.

y
of war. and were furnished and paid
for by the Government? No? Then
| will tell you new story about the
man who is to be inaugurated Gov
ernor of Massachusetts, and who may
be inaugurated President OF the
United States two years, two months
and six days from this date. Few
men have surmounted more obstacles,
won more victories and wear their
laurels as modestly as Ben Butler.
Say what you will of him, he was
chieftain in war, he is a statesman IN
peace, a relentless opponent IN poll
tics or at the bar. most charming
gentleman in private life, and friend
who never sees a fault, resents
neglect or grows weary in serving
YOU. We all remember, at the very
beginning of the war, how General
Butler organized his brigade in Bos-
ton, how he captured the ferry-boat
or steamer Maryland at Perryville,
opposite Havre de Grace, and how he
conveyed his troops to Annapolis,
thus thanking the enemy in Baltimore
and making the first, the most brilliant
and successful strategic movement OF
the war. Governor Andrew urged
General Butler to embark his troops
at Boston and go to Washington by
sea, but the General said no, he would
90 the nearest and quickest way.
One fine morning he landed in that
shabby old historical city, soaring the
people half to death. Horses, mules,
wagons and carts were needed for
the new camp, but none could be
found. The Annapolisians did not
like the Yankees, and they took care
that all the horses, mules and carts
were out of the way. However, one
day the guard brought to headquar
ters an old mule and rickety cart.
Butler bought these, paying for them
$500, in twenty dollar gold pieces,
although they were not worth $40.
Then Butler told the astonished and
delighted Marylander, to whom $500
was fortune, to go out and send IN
all the horses, etc, he could find.
The story soon got out. and there
were mules and carts in abundance,
which were bought for a quarter of
the original sum. At Annapolis But
Ter was in direct communication with
Washington, and he asked the Presl
dent and Secretary of War for per-
mission to take and occupy Baltimore.
It was reported that the rebels had
big force there, and were fortifying
the city. General Scott, then COM
mander in-chief, opposed the scheme,
and said Baltimore should be taken
by siege or else Washington might
fall into the hands of the enemy. 1t
was to be the first great operation of
the war, and must be successful;
therefore regular approaches were
necessary. Butler laughed at this,
and said he had force enough, and
promised to occupy the city within
week if given his own way. MIR. Lin
coin and Mr.. Cameron, then Secretary
of War, told him to ''go ahead" and
he at once struck his camp and re-
moved to the Relay House. All this
time there had been no com
munication with Baltimore. Now
comes the story of the monkey
and hand-organ. A day or two after
his arrival at the Relay House, Gen
eral Butler and his staff were riding
from headquarters to the camp, when
they met q ragged Italian..with hand
organ and monkey. An idea struck
the quick-witted general. He or
dered one of the staff officers to arrest
the man and take the whole outfit to
camp, being careful not to let the
monkey get away. Butler had pom
dered good deal over the problem
of how he was to find out the true
situation of affairs in Baltimore. He
had at last hit upon an idea. On
his staff he had a brave, comical.
trustworthy, level-headed Irishman
named Haggerty. He was Captain
and had been a young lawyer in
Lowell and Butler knew him we'll.
He was FOSTERING, dare devil fellow,
who could play any instrument or
sing any song and had quick eye,
quick senses and good judgment
Butler told him his scheme. He
told the young Captain that he must
dress himself in the ragged and
dirty clothes of the italian and go to
Baltimore with the hand organ and
monkey; that he must find out every
thing, the force, the defenses and
the whole situation and come back
as soon as he could. Haggerty was
eager for the job.
Then Butler sent for the Italian,
who was scared out of his wits. He
told the poor man that he wanted his
old clothes, his hand-organ and his
monkey. The wretched creature
would have given his right hand to
get out of the scrape. The General
told him he would give him a new
suit of clothes, pay him $50 for the
hand organ and monkey, and give
them back to him in a day or two;
but that he must remain in the
gnardhouse in the meantime, where
he would be we'll fed and cared for.
The Italian was happy and Haggerty
was happy. The latter started at
once on his mission, leaving in the
evening, and the scheme unknown to
anyone. It is needless to say that
in those early and. unsuspecting days
of the war Haggerty accomplished
his mission most successfully and
satisfactorily. He was gone three
days, and when he returned to head
quarters he was denied admission by
his associates on the Generals staff.
He got admission, however, and when
he emerged he wore his Captains