The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-01-30
BUTLER'S VINDICATION.
The General Says Both Chase and Lincoln
Wanted Him sor Vice. President.

BosToN. Mass, Jan. 29.-Tbe autobiog-
Gen. Benjamin +. Butler. or "Butler's
Book" was issued day. bearing the i'm.
print of A. NJ. Thayer 81 Co. The book IS
dedicated ITO the good and brave soldiers
of the Grand Army of the Republic" In
his preface the General gives az one reason
for the publication Ito correct much
wrong done to myself by misrepresenta-
tion of facts and circumstances as to my
own acts In the service of the country" A
casual review of it's contents would seem
to convey the impression that this is its
hope that he may live long enough to an
swer any misstatements hereafter made
against its subject-matter.
General Butler asserts positively that
Salmon p. Chase sent friend to him at
Fortress Monroe TO solicit him to accept
the vice-presidency nomination of the Re-
the first place. He also eays that Simon
Cameron made q similar proposition to him
In behalf or MIR. Lincoln, iess than three
weeks afterwards. He quotes the CONVEX
satlon and gives the reasons for his refusal
of both offers. He maintains with docu-
ments his position taken in the controversy
over the conduct of the late Admiral
Porter at New Orleans, and declares
that the latter acted untruthfully and
in villalnOus manner throughout the
whole transaction Of the capture and sur
render of the fort He also charges Ad-
mIral Porter and the latter's subordInates
with the failure of the powder boat plan at
Fort Fisher. He brands as utterly false
the charge OF Gen. w. +: Smith that Grant
was drunk before Petersburg. and criticises
Smith severely. The General closes his
work with a summary of things done by
him. and proven by the narrative" in his
military capacity, which were of service
to the country. Briefly these are:
By FORESIGHT and energy getting Massachu-
setts's militia ready SO that il was first to the
defense of Washington: seizing Annapolis and
opening the way for transportation of troops TO
the capital; preventing an assault upon Wash
ington from Harper's Ferry by fortifying Relay
House heights; holding Baltimore and thus pre-
venting the secession OF Maryland; applying the
tho emancipation proclamation possible; seizing
and fortifying Newport News, thereby keeping
through the war an openwater-w way for transpor-
tation Of troops and supplies 10 Richmond;
capturing Forts Hatteras and Clark, making
practicable the holding OF the coast sounds; rails
ing over six thousand men without bounties
or impressments: assisting with these In the
opening OF the Mississippi; capture of New Or
leans; holding Louisiana and enforcing their re-
spect for the governments rescuing New Orleans
from the yellow fever; inaugurating the policy
of arming colored troops; devising, organizing
and perfe citing the strategy for campaign
against Richmond by means OF an intrenched
camp near the city of Bermuda Hundreds: assist
ance in the capture of Petersburg and Richmond
and designing and constructing the Dutch-gap
canals; available public works
Finally. he says: 'In all military move
msnts l never met with disaster nor use
lessly sacrificed the lives of my men. In
my congress onal career my proudest boast
Is that. through my effort, the legal-tender
greenback was made constitutional money.
and believe soon it ill be the only money
in the United States"