Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1893-03-03
LINCOLN KNEW BUTLER.
THE PRESIDENT EXERCISED
HIS PATIENCE.
An Old Soldier Tells n story That Wen
Illustrates the Character OF Both
Men-How "Joe" Hawiey
Put Butler Down.

hose who served in the union,
army from 1861 to 1864 heard much
of General Butler. Once met he was
a man never to be forgotten. Through
a soldier friend / was constrained
to participate in certain matters
which illustrate in marked degree
General Buffers well-known obsti-
macy and natural independence, and
l now recall the incidents as q part
OF my experience while in the SER
vice, writes j. A. III. in the Philadel-
phia Times. One day in 1868 Colo
mel Martin came to me where | was
on duty in one of the bureaus of the
war department at Washington and
told me he was in trouble. He
told me he had been on duty
under Butler in Virginia and the
general had peremptorily dismissed
him upon false charge of drunken
ness when upon duty. OF course
everyone knew that an officer could
not be dismissed in such a way as
that and / suggested an appeal to the
president. Through my superior Of
ficer was able to procure an audi
ence with President Lincoln, who was
evidently impressed with Martins
story, and wrote note TO Secretary
Stanton, who issued an order to But
Ter to reinstate Colonel Martin in his
command or file proper charges
against him. This pleased us much
and we thought the colonel was soon
to be all right. But inside Of week
he was back again in Washington,
declaring that Butler had refused to
obey the order and, after abusing
him afresh, had torn the paper up
and stamped it under his feet.
Now the matter had become seri-
Gus, and my chief and myself felt sure
the president would do something
lawful" to Butler for his insuburdina-
tion. On the following day President
Lincoln gave us an interview, and
after hearing Colonel Martins story
appeared somewhat annoyed. Final
ly he himself wrote an order in his
own hand and over his own signature
directing General Butler to reinstate
Colonel Martin in his command upon,
receiving the paper. Now, surely,
the matter was settled all right, and
we felt happy. Ten days afterwards
Colonel Martin came back and re-
ported that Butler had fatty refused
to reinstate him, declaring that he
knew the facts in the case better than
the president did, and that he would
not obey the order, as he had already
put another officer in command of the
regiment. When this was reported
to the president he smiled a little.
and at last spoke; "Now, colonel.
you see yourself how / am placed.
OF course, could deprive Butler of
his command, but would that be the
best thing for the country Under
all the circumstances, feel like let
ting the matter drop; but / will give
you another place, that will perhaps
suit you as we'll" The president
kept his promise and Colonel Martin.
did not leave the service under a
cloud.
Those who delight to hear how a
headstrong and unreasonable man
may at times be brought to taste of
some OF his own ill-manners will be.
pleased to learn that in General
Joseph Hawley, the distinguished
senator from Connections, General
Butler found man his equal in forci-
BILE language as we'll as ingenuity in
expedients. At the time Butler was.
digging his canal in Virginia Hawley
was under his command, and one dav
received from Butler an order to do.
something distasteful. Turning to
the aid who brought Abe order, he re-
marked: "You tell General Butler
that / shan't obey his order. He is a
id old fool, and if he wants this
thing done he had better come and do.
it himself" The aid departed and
that was the last of 1t.
But General Butler was a sincere
patriot, friend of the poor and OBJ
pressed always and pleaded many a
clients cause without hope of reward.
He sprang from the common people
and was proud fit, and their wants.
their aspirations, their endless toll.
their unnumbered hardships found in
him an ardent sympathizer. He was
liberal and kind, and under his some
what brusque exterior carried heart
that could be touched by any tale Of
pity. Like all such men, he aroused
the fiercest opposition OF his enemies.
There were many who denied him
every virtue, believing him almost
demon. But he was man of the
finest sensibilities, though his best
friends could never quite call him
gentleman.