Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1886-03-20
GEN. BENZ. F. BUTLER.
WRITTEN FOR THE TRIBUNE.

WRITTEN FOR THE TRIBUNE.
OF all the great public men prom
inently before the country for the last
quarter of century or more none
| have shown so much individuality as
Gen. Butler. He is nothing if not Or
iginal. The best abused man in the
United States, and the best kind OF
a man i'll the most comprehensive
term. Public events placed Gen
Butler in many trying positions
here the most ardorous duties requir-
esl tlYrnness il not sternness in their ex-
eSeut3oa Ii the performance of such
duties the man never hlnched. He
has been found equal to the occasion
and able in every emergency. The
Charleston Convention found him a
; democrat of the strongest type, but
when he saw that the action of that
convention forecasted a premediated
dissolution of the Union there was
only one course before him: faithful
adhereance to the Union, a generous
and manly support OF the Govern
ment. and firm resolve to stand by
the flag, come what would.
At time when many leading poll
ticans were on the fence, Butler rous-
cd up the patriotism of the "Old Bay
State" marshalled her sons to pre-
pare for the coming fray, and led
them forward in defense Of Washing
ton. The capture Of Federal Hill and
the mastery way he muzzled treason
in Baltimore, is matter Of general
history. He made way for the Union
troops to arrive in the capitol by the
way of Annapolis, and while in com
mand at Fortress Monroe he gave the
first ray of freedoms light dawn to
the slave, rent the first rivet of his
shackles when declaring him contra
band OF war;" thus giving the hunted
fugitives safety and supplies inside
his lines and heralding in advance
general emancipation.
Generals Hunter and Fremont
were issuing wordy proclamations of
no effect, while in the army of the
Patomic fugitives from slavery were
returned to the owners-so cM]ed.
The most pacific measures Of attempts
at consolation became ridiculous
guards had been placed over the homes
and other property of persons in arm
ed rebellion against the people Of the
United States.
Gen. Sherman has defined war as
cruelty and destruction but that def
milton had not yet reached the line OF
the Patomic in 61-2.
The contraband from being local
became general, in the course of time,
National. Every paper had some
thing to say about the contraband,
the reliable contraband, and the most
reliable contraband coming inside our
iinesinporting awful and important in
formation etc The term contraband
originated with Gen. Butler. and
there is not much hazarded in saying
that all the information derived at
any time from the most reliable con
traband was of most unreliable ma
ture.
Gen. Butler had been singled out
for command of the Gulf department
and concentrated his force at Ship
Island-a large sand bar putting into
the Gulf. The troops in tho com
mand were volunteers chiefly from
Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut
and New York. There are few places
SO barren or desolate or dlsagreeable
as the dreary island on which the
soldiers were encamped, going
through the general routine of sol
diers duties. Early in April Admiral
Farragut, then captain) ably assisted
by Admiral David d. Porter, (then
commander) arrived at the South
West Pass. Farragut commanded
the squadron-to push on to New
Orleans, while Porter with his mortar
feet kept pounding away at Forts
jackson and st. Phillep, the former
on the left and the latter on the
right bank of the Mississippi. Both
OF those Forts were considered i'm
pregnable. They were judiciously
armed and we'll commanded. It is
doubtful if Forts jackson and ST.
Phillip could be prudently attacked
by land force, Jackson particularly
The great Admiral David Glasgow
Farragut surmounted every obstacle,
and on fine day in April made fool
of Gen Beauregard's prediction that
the Crescent City" was impregnable
from direction of the gulf and could
not be taken. Following up in wake
of the squadron with part Of his force
Gen. Butler landed at New Orleans.
The band striking up ''Picayune But
Ter has come to town." The New
Orleanists did not welcome Gen. But
Ter, of course they new he was at Ship