Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-05-06
Benjamin
Ben Butler Finds Coat Tail to
Tread on.
COMPLIMENTS TO ADMIRAL PORTER

Tic Bluff Old Tar Charged with Running
Away!-An Old War UnpIeasantness Dug
Up in This Centennial year-The Admit
raj Laughs at the Story, Calls Butler
u Coward, While Gen. Sherman Thinks
Such Things Should BE Dropped.
WASHINGTON CITY, May "a pretty
warm discussion is likely to grow out OF a
statement telegraphed here as having been
made by Gen. Butler At a meeting last
| week during the centennial days dinner
was given Gen Butler on the anniversary of
the capture of New Orleans During his
speech that evening Butler spoke of Farra-
quits officers as being brave save one, a high
| officer who ran away. Admiral Portsrs at
| tention was called to this, and he said he
knew who the officer was-a commodore
and never could account for his running
away, as he had shown conspicuous bravery
at other times He would not give his NAME
but said that Farragut had censured other
officers wrongfully, and had exonerated
these last when he heard the circumstances.
Butler Says 1t Was Porter Himself
But the trouble will begin probably when
Admiral Porter knows that the officer But
Ter referred to-as lie asserted in an inter-
view in Boston, printed yesterday-was no
less a person than Admiral Porter himself.
Butler says the admiral was in command OF
the mortar boats but that early in the morn
ing after Farragut had passed the rebel bat
teres Porter rushed past Buffers transports
thirty miles down the river, crying out that
the rebels We're coming down the river and
for Butler to get out as fast as possible
The rebels were not coming, but Porter, so
Butler says, had heard that the rebels had
| armed the Louisiana, a ponderous float
ing battery, and We're coming down the
river.
There has been ill feeling between Butler
and Porter ever since 1854, when Butler ac-
| cused Porter of going back on him at Fort
| Fisher.
Porter Thinks 1t Is a Huge Joke.
Admiral Porter is inclined to look upon
| Gen. Buffers utterances as sent out by the
United Press last night as huge joke. He
was told the contents of the United Press
dispatch. And so Gen. Butler has been
saying things about me,' he said. well,
what If he hast shall not take any notice
| Of it. He knows what 1 think OF him. /
| have said time and again that he is coward
| and worse. Now l suppose he wants to get
even with me in his old age. Let him talk
Nobody believes him"
| "But he says you ran away"
| Does he's Well, let him say so. l have
| in my possession letter written to me by
| Gideon Welles after the capture of the forts,
thanking me for my efforts, and saying that
but for my exertions Admiral Farragut
| could not have captured New Orleans. | do
| not want any stronger praise than Secretary
| Weles gave me in that letter People who
run away do not get to the head of the navy.
/ There were three officers who were censured
by Farragut two of them uujustly. The
other one has never, to my knowledge salts
factorily explained his conduct. l supposed
Butler meant him, but you say he referred to
me Well, well, well. 1t does not trouble
me one bit People who believe what But
Ter says must set history aside, and l have
have not the slightest regard for their opin
| ion
| Gen. Sherman Regrets the Controversy
| NEW YORK, May 6.-Gen. W. T. Sherman
declined to express opinion in regard to
the Porter Butler controv ersy, but said: -
| was not at New Orleans, and don't fee
| qualified to say anything on the subject. The
gentlemen concerned are both strong, able
men and capable of looking out for them
selves. Butler was a gallant soldier, and
Porter was one of the hardest hitters in the
| navy. | regret the revival of fire
stories. 1t is not right, especially just at thi.
centennial time. These things have been dis
cussed often enough, and ought to b,
/ droppedr