The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-01-22
The Last Resting Place or q Distin.
gnished Family. ..lI

sectlon o! CogeneId County, few week.
ago, I unexpectedly stumbled upon I
spot Of moro than ordinary historic id
terest. refer 70 the old Homestead ami
family buryiug plot Of Major Genera
William Butler, who In his youth hat
been gallant soldier in the patriot army
In the war of the Revolution. I recre,
that know nothing Of his ancestry and
so little Of his personal history. / urt
told, however, that he did not marry till
after the close of tho war, and that he
moved to and settled on the spot indica.
ted, and there spent the remainder of hit
life. How and where he acquired hit
title Of General, is also matter, of con.
lecture. Most likely it was in the war oi
1912. But while I, in common with the
present generation, know SO little of him
| 1t is safe to assume, that he was decided.
ly prominent nlan,in his day. ..u
Two Of his sons, Aadrew Pickens aud
Pierce Mason,. greatly distinguished
themselves in public life. the former n,
Judge Of one Of the judicial Circuitsl oi
this State, and also ies 0 member Of the
United States Senate. Here his great
abilities gave him high rank, and he 20
prcmipently mentioned by, Alexander
b. Stephens 10 his:history Of the United
States. recently published, srs;,i.uie
He died,iu' 1857 In his 6lst year, and
rests In the family graveyard, Z, "a s.,,
Pierce Mason wes Lieutenant, Colonel
Of O moanted regiment from this State,
which did service in the Florida wiz: OF
1886, He. became more popular, with
the mon than the Colonel,j and two old
men living near here say tbnt he. The
Idol of the men; that ,so hrsver man
never lived. Some yearH later he became
Governor. of his native State, and subaei
quently while Governor of one, of the
Territories, by appointment of the Pres-
ident, he was called to the Colonelcy OF
the Palmetto Regiment, which had been
raiaed for service in the war with Mexico.
That regiment was recruited from the
flower of Carolina chivslry, and to be
chosen to its command was very high
honor. Colonel Butler became at once
the Commander and father" of the Pal.
mettoes, sharing their privations and glo.
rious achievements from the moment
they entered service till the day of his
fall, which occurred on the evening OF
August 20, 1877, as he led his gallant
and devoted followers to victory on the
bloody field Of Churubusco, within eight
of tho Mexican Capital. Said Gen.
Shields in bis official report: "The
noble and gallant Colonel of the Palmet-
to Regiment, P. NJ. Butler, had risen
from his sick.bed TO share the hardships
of the field and the dangers of the com.
bat with bis devoted regiment. He sur.
vived the conflict Of the morning to lead
his command when victory again awaited
1t. Although wcaEaed himself and hav.
ing lost his horse-Rhot' under him, he
atill continued TO press on, near the COL
ors of bis regiment, until the fatal ball
terminated bis life. A gallant soldier in
his youth, he has won in his death upon
the field of battle, fame for himeelf and
his regiment and added another name
to theroll of Carolina's departed heroes"
With reference to the fall of Colonel
Butler, Gen. Worth wrote Go follows to
Hon. A. P. Butler, his brother, (dated
Tacubaya, Mexico, Aug. 90, 1847).
SIR - I trust o cordial intimacy and
friendship Of twenty-five years with your
late brother, the gallant Colonel Butter,
will excuse the trespass Of a stranger.
Your brother fell most gloriously in the
great battle Of the Goth, before the gate
of Mexico, In that bloody conflict no
man gave higher evidence OF velor and
patriotism, or exhibited O brighter ex.
ample. Ea fell sstan :s ;sss Gods viii
precisely as 10 10 would lave dcsised to
die. Hia body rests hero, his memory,
in tho hesrts of his countrysleD, his
spirit, bright and pure as his blade, with
his God.
"The enclosed letter written the day
before the battle, did not receive until
the day after through the hands of Dick
inson, and II is not because of the kind
things said by, Q friends partially, but
because it's probably the last letter he
penned that i send 1t to you; begging
that at.souie future; day, It may be
returned to mo TO be preserved and cher.
ished, The gallant Palmettoes who
allowed themselves worthy Of their State
and country, lost nearly fone:hG5E This
victory. will carry joy and sorrow into
half the families Of South, Caroline,
Col, Dickinson Is getting on well, and
will, 1t 10 hoped, safe his leg. IAN arm.
istiee is concluded, and commissioners
meet Tomorrow to treat Of peace. God
speed ,then.'" @,..s ~
Following 10 the letter of Colonel But.
Ter alluded to by Gen. Worth:
"SAN AUaUsria, Aug. 19, I847.
Dear General: We ARE here 10 b'tribnla.
tion ; can but hope, however, it is but
temporary. It Is ordered that this divis.
ion remain. as protection to the train.
There is gloom on Us all; while am
one who believes there toilk Be JfqIitiag
enough for au:,l The moral effect is
yitheripg.. The regiment, though weak
In numbers, 10 Up TO the full point, and l
trust South Carolina may have d place in
the picture. We have been watching
you and your division, for the last two
dsys with freternal affection, but the en-.
:ire voice Of the army where I have been
Of heard, Is unbounded eonsiderencs Ia
Worth SO mote It be-, But I have
strayed from tho principal point or. puP-
pose Of my pote, which :is' 10 say our
friend, Colonel Dickinson. more impatient
and not 90 long, G soldier as myeclf,
desires place 1esrer tba flashi6g Of The
guns . aud with good taste wishes topget
raar ,yo9. IL you CAP make him useful