The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-01-13
General Butler Dead.
A FAMOUS SOLDIER AND LAWYER.


General B. F. Butler died at his
Washington residence early Tuesday
morning from heart failure. His
death was sudden and unexpected.
Ben amin Franklin Butler was born
in Deerheld, N. H., November s,
1913; graduated at Waterville
University, Maine, in 1898, and was
admitted to the bar in I84o. He was
elected to the Massachusetts legisla-
ture as Democrat in 1858, and to the
state senate in 1859. He became
prominent as a lawyer, and was a
candidate for governor of Mass.
achusetts twice before the civil war 4.
At the beginning of the war he was
appointed brigadier general of the
state militia, and on April II, 1901,
marched to Annapolis, Md, with
the Eighth Massachusetts, regiment to
command the district of Annapolis,
including Baltimore, which city he
entered May I3, at the head of goo
men, and occupied without opposi-
ton.
On May 10, 1901, he was appointed
major general of volunteers, and
given command Of the department of
Eastern Virginia, with headquarters at
Fortress Monroe. While here some
runaway slaves took refuge IN his lines
and he refused to deliver them to
their masters, saying they were con
trabands OF war This was the origin
of the word "contraband' as applied
to negroes.
General Butler captured Fort Clark
and Fort Hatteras IN August, 1861.
In March, 1862, he led an expedition
to the Gulf of Mexico After
Farragu,'s capture of New Orleans.
Butler commanded there from May to
December, and administered affairs
with great vigor. He preserved
order and public health, and armed
the free colored men. Resentment
was caused by his hanging William
Mumford for hauling down the United
States flag from the mint, and by the
issue of "Order No. sS," his famous
'woman ORDER Jefferson Davis, in
December, 1862, issued a proclama-
tion declaring him to be an outlaw.
The women order was intended to
keep the woman Of New Orleans
from insulting Union soldiers.
While in New Orleans he seized
$500, 1000 which had been deposited
IN the Office of the Dutch consul,
claiming that it was intended to buy
arms for the Confederates with the
money, but the government ordered
him to return it,
In 1868 he was placed in command
of Virginia and North Carolina, his
troops being afterward known as the
Army of the James. He formed a
plan to capture Richmond from the
south side of the James, intending to
CO operlte with the Army of the Po
tomac from the north, but he was
checked by General Beauregard.
In 1864 he was in New York sup
pressing the anti-draft riots. In 1866
he was elected to congress as Re
publican and served until 1870. with
the exception of the year 1856. He
was the unsuccessful Republican nom
lnee for governor of Massachusetts in
1871 and In 1878 and 1870 was again
defeated for the same office on the
ticket of the Greenback party and Of
an independent Democratic wing. In
1882 he was elected by the Demo
Gratis, but was defeated in 1888. In
1884 he ran as the Greenback Labor
candidate for president, but got no
electoral votes.
He married Sarah, a daughter [ +
DIR. Israel Hlldreth, of Lowell, who
was on the stage from 1887 to IS4a.
when she married General Butler and
retired. She died in Boston, April 8,
1876. A daughter married General
Adelbert Ames, of the United States
Army.