The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-09-10
(BY JOHN. L. STEELE.)
Copyright, 1894, by S. S. Mcclure, Linn
tod

llGQ.)
Washington, D. c., Aug. s, 1894
John E. Butler, once a street waif in
New York, now a wealthy Oil dealer OF
FRANKLIN, Pa, stands on the rolls or
the war department as the youngest
deserter of the civil war. The charge
was entered against him thirty-two
wears ago, when he was boy OF H.
1t was the result of ill feeling between
a lieutenant colonel and captain, and
since 1876 he has been trying to nave
his record cleared. 1t is one OF the
most unique cases that have come pc
fore Congress, for that body IS the
court of last resort, and when the facts
were stated during the session just
closed, the bill relieving him was
passed unanimously by the House OF
Representatives, amid applause, one or
the very few private bills that ever Sc
cured a hearing.
| Shortly before the beginning Of the
war, Johnny Butler was homeless
waif in the streets of New York. He
knew how to take care Of himself as
street urshins only know, and was as
wild as the widest. The agents of
charitable society, however, picked him
up and after caring for him for months
eventually found him a home with
farmer in Indiana The latter paid the
boys fare from New York, and placed
him at work on the farm. The life was
novel one to the little fellow, and he
thoroughly enjoyed it. His history, and
| the fact that he could beat a drum as
none of the neighboring farmer boys
could, made him famous throughout
the country, and he was in demand at
every public gathering. Had it not
| been for this and the firing on Fort
Sumpter, Johnny might have grown up
| to be a steady-going Indiana farmer,
and escaped the penalty of resting I'M
der the gravest of military charges for
thirty-two years, and OF being claim
ant before Congress.
ENLISTS AS A DRUMMER BOY.
| The farmers of Indiana were not
slow in answering the call of President
| Lincoln for troops, and the Seventeenth
Regiment Indiana Volunteers was mus
| tered into service early in June, 1861.
A drummer was wanted in the band,
and as many of the boys came from
the country in which Johnny lived, he
was not passed by. But the farmer did
not want to lose him (Johnny, of
course, was more than anxious to go)
and offered all sorts of objections. The
| boys of the Seventeenth, however, were
determined to have him. BY paying the
| farmer the amount expended in rail-
road fare and a few dollars besides.
they carried off the boy. Then another
trouble arose; Johnny was only II years
old. This was overcome by entering
him on the rolls as Is years old, and the
happiest heart in the entire regiment,
as it left for the fort, was carried by
Johnny Butler.
PROMOTED TO A SOLDIER.
For over a year he remained with the
regiment. His street training in New
York served him we'll, and he was hap
py and busy the day long. He knew
EVERY member of the command, and
jail were warmly attached to him. He
never missed a roll call, and his CHEEKY
drum beat was heard at every camp,
and in every engagement in which the
Seventeenth took part. In August,
1852, all bands were mustered out of
serv; .e by order of the secretary of
war This left Johnny on the world
again. He had no home to which to go,
so the officers had him transferred to
company F of the regiment, and he
was regularly entered on the rolls, to
the great delight of all the men. In
the latter part of August, at the re-
lquest of Colonel Moore, of the Fifty
; eight Indiana volunteers, who desired
Ia drummer, Johnny was loaned 10 that
regiment by an unders-ln ling be-
: tween Colonel Moore and Lieutenant
tlOIIel HAIL. IiICil lhS
Seventeenth. The commands were
. lbrigaded together, so it was still like
| being among friends when Johnny took
! his drum under orders from his lieu
tenant colonel, and reported to the
IFifty-eighth for duty. lie was back
with the boys of the Seventeenth every
: day. messing with them and engaging
) lin all their sports. He had obsyed or
= ders, and was doing his duty. The re-
llations existing between the captain
Iof company F and his regimental cSm
lmander. unfortunately for the drum
+ Imer boy, were not the most cordial
SIand the former took offense at the
!, ira nster AS the boy did not appear
, lat roll call, the captain of company
= lhad him entered as deserter, but i
was so quietly done that none of the
:, lofficers or men knew of 1T at the time
Johnny remained with the Fifty-eightf
: until the Seventeenth was ordered
: some time in October, to march tt
,, Louisville to be paid off. He Joined
e his company then, but when he applied
!. for his pay, he was informed that h
i, Iold, had no home, might be shot for thu
: loffense charged, and did not know
I what to do. AS soon as the soldiers o
! the Fifty-eighth heard of it, they votet
4 to give. the boy $1,000, which they hat
! raised to buy new instruments for tn
: Iregimental band. This money was Civ
!, len to the Northumberland, and was t.
: lcould not be found, though, and h
8 never profitted by the kindness of hi
IoId comrades. He had been too badl.
frightened to remain in Louisville, an
The started back to his former friend il
Indiana He reached there some way
and Immediately began to try to en-
Hist again.
lRE-ENLIsTS AFTER MANY RE
Bluffs
He was unsuccessful in all his at
Itempts. being rejected on account O
Ibis youth until December, 1858. The
The met the lieutena nt-colonel of tn
lSeventeenth. who was raising the On
Hundred and Twentieth Indiana vol
lunteers This officer gladly enrolle
1.-The boy as drummer of company
land he served until January, 1856
when he was mustered out as princ
lpal musician. In 1876, he applied t
the war, department for an honorabl
discharge, as of the Seventeenth vo
junteers. The application was referre
:. to the commanding general, militar
y division of the Atlantic, who directe
that dishonorable discharge to dat
from August 20, 1862, be issued. Til
n did not satisfy Mr.. Butler or his friend
% land an appeal was made to Congress
If the bill which passed the House gel
Through the Senate, it will close til
most remarkable chapter in the lii
lof Johnny" Butler. Johnny he sti
lis. II got used to the boys calling n
Johnny" he says, "began to sig
my name John E., and have kept it u
N ever since.
OTHER APPLICANTS FOR RELIE
Numbers of these appeals in IL
shape of private bills are introduce
at each, session of Congress. In SON