St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-01-19
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GEN. b. r. BUTLER.

AJbtiNiy Ia w DNi
was born in Deerfeld, N. H., Nov. S,
1918. He was the son of Capt. John
Butler, who served under Jackson at
New Orleans. He was graduated
at Waterville Collcge(now Colby
University, Maine, in 1888, was
admitted to the bar in 1910, began
practice at Lowell, Mass, in 1S41
and has since had high reputation
as lawyer, especially in criminal
cases. He early took a prominent
part in politics; on the democratic
side, and was elected a mem Der Of he
Massachusetts house Of represent
atives in 1853, and of the state sem
ate in 1859. In 1860 he was dele
gate to the democratic national con-
vention that met at Charleston
When a portion of the delegates re-
assembled at Baltimore, Mr.. Butler
after taking part in the opening
debates and votes, announced that a
majority Of the delegates from
Massachusetts would not further
participate in the delibera tions of
the convention, on the ground that
there had been a withdrawal, in
part, of the majority of the states;
and further, he added, upon the
ground that | would not sit in a
convention where the African
slave-trade, which is piracy by
the laws of my country, is
approvingly advocated" In the
same year he was the unsuccessful
democratic candidate for governor
of Massachusetts. At the time of
President Lincoln's call for troops,
in April, 1861, he held the commits
sion of brigadier-general of militia.
On the 18th of that month he march
ed to Annapolis with the 9Th Massa-
chusetts regiment and was placed in
command of The district of Annapo.
lis, in which the city of Baltimore
was included. On May 13, 1861, he
entered Baltimore at the head of 900
men, occupied the city without op-
position, and on May 16 was made
a major-general and assigned to the
command of Fort Monroe and the
department of eastern Virginia.
While he was there, some slaves that
had come within his lines were de-
manded by their masters but he re-
fused to deliver them up, on the
ground that they were contraband
of war; hence arose the designation
OF "contrabands, often applied to
slaves during the war In August
he captured Forts Hatteras and
Clark, on the coast of North Caro-
lima. He then returned to Massachu-
sets to recruit an expedition for the
Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi
On March %, 1862, the expedition
reached Ship Island, and on April
II went up the Mississippi. The
feet, under Farragut, having passed
the forts, April "a, and virtually
captured New Orleans, Gen. Butler
took possession of the city May LIST.
His administration of affairs was
marked by great vigor. He insti-
tuted strict sanitary regulations,
armed the free colored men, and
compelled rich secessionists to con-
tribute to the support of the poor of
the city. His course in hanging Will
liam Mumford for hauling down the
U. S. flag from the mint, and in
issuing Order No. 2S,' intended
to prevent women from insulting
soldiers, excited strong resentment,
not only in the South, but in the
North and abroad, and in December,
1862, Jefferson Davis issued pro-
clamation declaring him an outlaw.
On May 10, 1862, Gen. Butler seized
about $500, 900 which had been de-
posted in the office of the Dutch
consul, claiming that arms for the
coniederates were to be bought with
it. This action was protested
against by. all the foreign consuls,
and the government at Washington,
alter an investigation, ordered the
return of the money. On December
10, 1862, Gen. Butler was recalled,
as he believed, at the instigation of
Louis Napoleon, who supposed the
general to be hostile to his Mexican
schemes. Near the close of 1868 he
was placed in command of the de-
partment of Virginia and North
Carolina, and his force was after
ward designated as the army of the
James. In October, 1864, there be-
ing approximations of trouble in
New York during the election, Gen.
Butler was sent there with a force,
to insure quiet. In December he
conducted an Intellectual expedition
against Fort Fisher, near Whining
ton, N. c., and soon afterward was
removed from command, by Gen.
Grant. He then returned to his
residence in Massachusetts. In 1866
ne was elected by the republicans
member of congress, where he re-
manned till 1879, with the exception
OF the term for 1927. He was
the most active of the managers ap-
pointed in 1868 by the house of re-
representatives. to conduct the i'm
parchment of President Johnson. He
was the unsuccessful republican
nominee for governor of Massachu
SettS in 1891 and in 1878 and 1S79.