The Washington critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1885-1888, 1885-09-12
TCGTOTFICB CULpRIT5 5.


W. A. Crofrut says that the late Vice
President Henry Wilson told him the
following story; 81 went to Annapo-
lis" said Mr.. Wilson, "in + jpring
of 1861, when Butler was there with
Massachusetts troops trying to get
through to Washington. About that
time Lincoln began to grow very
anxious about his call for 5000 men,
aid spoke 10 Scott about 1t. Scott su :
gCst,d that he would send one of his
staff North to see how cnlistmcnts were
getting aitng. Accordingly he sent
Lieutenant. Colonel Il. u. Reyes mp TO
tic White House TO take the Presi-
dents orders. Reyes went, talked it
ever, and asked for some paper au-
tborizing him TO act Lincoln knew
nothing about army orders and so, in
stead cf giving him specific authority
TO DO q particular thing, he wrote an
order like this:
LieutcuantColonel +. y. Reyes is here
ly CrCerCd Moth ON recruiting service. All
tEttgs q the army viii report to him.
y. L.ScOLS
"Ecycs saw that this virtually put
Lin in command of the army and
made Scott one Of his subordinatcs.
i hat WIS good enough for him, so he
put II IN his pocket, got some new cpau.
idtcs md started North Kcycs dis.
liked volunteer officers and was glad
Of his chance TO crush them. lie
ftrucl; fer Annapolis, and called on But
Ter. After looking around II little,
he said: General for the present you
may remain here in command But
lcr who chalcd under the detention,
and wanted TO ret 20 the front, said !;
Indeed? BY whose orders? 2 Those
are MY orders, said Kcyes, straight
ening up n little more pompously than
ever. How came you to be my SUI
pcriOr ofiicer?' asked Butler. by vir-
tue of belonging to the regular army,
said Kcycs. That won't do, said the
General j have been commissioned
lrigadier- general by the State of Mas
sachusetts, and have been sworn into
The service of the United State. Neither
nor my troops recognize your SUI
pcrior rank. Then by virtue of being
on General SCOTS staff, pleaded the
Northumberland. That won't do,
said Butter taking down copy Of the
Army Regulations, for we read here
thGta staff officer has no command.
Then will that dol? asked Reyes.
producing the order of the President.
Yes, said Butler, inspecting it, that
cutranks me- Then you wi remain
at Annapolis? said Reyes. If you
will put il in writing, suggested But.
Ter. Kcyes reluctantly wrote the order
and signed it IL. ID. Reyes, Lieu
tenant Colonel. That won't do,
said Butler, try again Then
the officer drew another signing.
by order Of Abraham Lincoln, Il. d..
| Kcycs, lieutenant colonel. Now !
shall be glad to receive any orders
from you, said the humbled general.
Tomorrow morning | will come in,
said Kcyes, and give you some informa-
ton and instruction rs to your duty as
post commander. He then took leave.
| Butler instantly Endorsed on the back
of Kcyes' order the following Lieu.
tcnant,General Winfield Scott: Have
YOU been relieved? B. +. Butler.
! Handed it to Schuyler Hamilton and
told him to mount fast horse and get
it to Washington as soon as possible
Next morning Butler received n letter
from Scott ordcridg Lieutenant Col
oncl Keycs TO report Immediately tC
Washington. Pretty soon Reyes came
in ard began to lecture on the duties
of post commandment. This was con
tinued for half an hour, and seemed
livery amusing to me, who knew VIVA
was coming. At last he said: i dom
think of anything else. One other
thing volunteer officers need which
regulars sometimes manage to gel
along without said Butler All
What's th0tY asked Reyes. Brains
Colonel, brainsn exclaimed the Yam
kee Here's an order to you from Gen
erGl Scott. Kcyes, muttering some
thing about "a promotion, probably,
vanished. lie and Butler never got tC
like each other which, perhaps, is no
surprising"