St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-05-06
In Fact, He Says He Rushed
Pell Nell Down the River
and Out to Sea.
Gen. Sherman Regrets the
Revival Of the Story Just :
at This Time.
The Ill-Feeling Between Butt
ler and Porter Dates
From 1864.
Special to the Globe.

Special to the Globe. ~--
Boston, May 5.-The Herald today
prints an interview with Gen. Butler.
in which he says Admiral Porter is the
officer to whom lie referred in his speech
Wednesday night as running away at
the battle of New Orleans. The gen.
eral says: SAT the time the forts were
passed by Farragut, was following
him where could see the whole pro-
ceedings. was well up the river ON
my headquarters boat, the Saxon,
watching the progress of the
fight. Porter was in command of the
mortar flottilla, and was ordered to
lombard the water batteries below Fort
Jackson after Farragut had passed up.
Farragut got well by the forts about
sunrise, and it was O'Clock or after,
perhaps, when the incident connected
with Porter took place. My army was
nearly thirty miles down stream on
transports. which were anchored at the
head of the passes. About the time I
mentioned my men on the transports
saw POrter's whole fleet rushing
DOWN THE RIVER PELL NELL,
and out to sea. When Porter rushed by
my troops he cried out: 'The rebels are
coming down the river: get out of here
as fast as you can.' He came back the
next day. did not know of this occur
renee until several days afterward, at
the time when Capt. BOggs, sent by
Farragut, met me at the quarantine
station.''
"Were the rebels coming down the
river, as Porter stated?"
"They couldn't come. The only thing
they had was the ponderous dry dock
Louisiana and the two steamers to tow
her. The Louisiana never had ma
chinery in her, and could not even be
used as water battery"
''Why did he run, then?"
''I cannot tell, except that it was re.
ported that the enemy was transferring
heavy guns from the fort to the Louis
lana, and Porter conjectured that the
Louisiana was coming down stream
after them"
The ill-feeling between Butler and
Porter dates from 1864. when Porter ac-
cused Butler of not supporting with his
land forces Porter's naval operations
against Fort Fisher.
SHERMAN WON'T TALK.
NEW YORK, May 5.-Gen. W. T. Sher-
man declined to express an opinion to-
d ay in regard to the Porter-Butler con-
troversy, but said: 81 was not at New
Orleans, and don't feel qualified 10 say
anything Oh the subject. The gentle
men concerned are both strong, able
men, and capable of looking out for
themselves. Butler was gallant SOL
dier. and Porter was one of the hardest
hitters in the navy. regret the revival
of campfire stories. 1t is not right, es-
pecially just at this centennial time.
These things have been discussed often
enough, and ought to be dropped"
PORTER RoAsTS BUTLER.
WASHINGTON, May 5.-Admiral POr-
ter is inclined to look upon Gen. But
ler's utterances as huge Joke He was
told the contents of the dispatches.
''And so Gen. Butler has been saying
things about me?" he said. "Well,
what if he has? l shall not take any
notice of it. He knows what think of
him. have said time and again that
he is coward, and worse. Now sup
pose he wants to get even with me in
his old age. Let him talk. Nobody be-
lieveS him."
"But he says you ran away"
'Does he? Well, let him say so. /
have in my possession a letter written
to me by Gideon Welles after the CAP
ture of the forts thanking me for my
efforts, and saying that but for my eX-
ertions Admiral Farragut could not
have captured New Orleans. l do not
want any stronger praise than
Secretary Welles 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 unjustly. The
other one has never, to my knowledge.
satisfactorily explained his conduct.
suppose Butler meant him, but you say
he referred to me. Well, well. well.
1t does not trouble me one bit. People
who believe what Butler says must set
history aside, and have not the slight.
est regard for their opinions