River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-11-29
Butlerin New Orleans.

4 gentleman who was in New Orleans
ut the time writes to the Chicago Herald;
\ correspondent of the Herald yester-
lay asked to be informed who it was
that Gen Butter hanged in New Orleans
for treason. The man was VIM. B. Mum
ford, prominent New Orleans sporting
man, and the circumstances were these:
After Farragut's fleet had passed the forts
below the city and anchored OF the leVee
Captain Morris, of the Pensacola, was di-
rected bv Farragut to land a boats crew,
AXE possession of the United States Gus
tom House and Mint and hoist the Union
| flag on both buildings. The rebel troops
| under Mansfield Lowell had fed the city
out Buffers forces had not vet arrived.
| fhe flag was holsted on the mint on
April y, and within two hours Mumford
| had collected posse OF followers as
| reckless as himself and proceeded to tear
1t down. The flag Was cut into strips and
distributed among the drunken crowd
as trophies. Tue next day Butler Landed
Sith his troops. The rebel papers OF
| that morning were filed with glowing
accounts OF Mumford's deed, and he was
applauded as patriot. Ihe emery"
| were defiantly assured that the act was
| the act of the city, and that the whole
people would stand by Mumf0rd and
| eend him with "thelr hearts blood !"
This and other twaddle in the Picayune
| forced Butler to take greater notice OF
Mumford's act than he might otherwise
have done. He arrested Mum1ord and
brought him before the provost guard.
His object was to punish him for drunk
enness and disorderly conduct. The
next morning the Picayune and True
| Delta fairly screamed their defiance,
"Mumtord must be rescuedp THE
| Yankees must be driven out" they
yelled. That was too much for Ben. He
sent guard and took possession Of
moth newspaper offices put
| THEN proprietors in the guard house
called Ior volunteer printers and editors
| from the ranks OF the army, and next
morning both papers appeared as bang
up Union sheets, and cramned with To-
| cal news such as New Orleans papers
had never printed before.
"What are you going to do with Mr. .
Mumford?" defiantly asked the rebel
mayor, as he strode into Old Ben's pres
ence.
II am Going to hang Mr.. Mumcord,"
said Butter, sdrcasticaily, and if you're
not mighty careful III hang you. As it
is [ am going to send you over to Ship
| Island TOR your health. Cap;aln----"
to an aid, tell General Strong TO come
here" When the general came, Ben
said with q pleasant smile, ellis Honor,
the Mayor, thinks that after the tur-
MOL and excitement of the past
few days he would like
brief period of rest at Ship Island. You
will have a boat ready to sail at 20 clock,
and see that his Honor takes passage in
her. have given him permission to
take his family" and with that the Gen
eral leered at the Mayor in his peculiar
way. Expostulation was in vain, and
the Mayor went.
Two days after Mumford was arranged
before a military commission on charge
OF treason, and was convicted and sem
fenced to be hanged. fne most siren
uous efforts were made to save him;
even Farragut counse ed caution, but
old Ben only said, 81 mean to convince
these people that this is war, and no
childs play" And he did. Mumford
dangied from the gallows in less than
ten days after the commission Of his
reckless act.