Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-07-27
GEN. BUTLER.
The Experience a Young Soldier Had with.
Him Down in New Orleans.

Inc experience a 4OuU& SOlUler 6dO W1LIE
Him Down in New Orleans.
Col c. g. Johnston, head of the Buf-
falo encampment of the Union Veteran
legion, was younger when he went to
war. He was in the Thirteenth Maine.
and enlisted when 16 years old. The
famous Neal Dow was the colonel of his
regiment
Col Johnston was under Gen. Butler
in the famous campaign around New
Orleans, as he, young man, passed
through the streets of the Crescent city
and was reviled by the naughty dnDaes
of the Confederacy.. The troops WeTe
spat uDon by these women, and subjected
to every kind of humiliating treatment
1t was at this time that Gen. Butler
issued his famous order which put q de-
cisive stop to these petty annoyances.
The order was to the effect that any
women who were disrespectful to the
Union soldiers would be treated as wom-
en- of the town by the troops. Needless
to say, more courteous demeanor was
observed after this.
Col Johnston atfirms that the poorer
class of people in New Orleans respected
and admired Gen. Butler. 1T was But
Ter who made New Orleans" says Col.
Johnston. "He introduced sanitary
measures and built up the place"
Gen. Buffers way of treating prisoners
was exempliied by his punishment of an
ObstreDerous gardener. This gardener
had publicly said that he was going to
burn a certain hospital Butler had PUT
up. Butler, on hearing of it, sent for
him.
He asked him if the report wasstrue.
The gardener admitted that he had
threatened to burn the hospital.
'You are a gardener, are you AOt? e
asked Butler, Sagely.
Yes" said the man.
well, there is fine garden down at
Fort Jackson" said the general. lit
needs good man to care for it. l guess
you had better put in the next ninety
nine years in fixing it up. Ii certainly
needs good man,
A part of his punishment besides this
consisted in pumping cold water on him
for five minutes every day. Col john
stOn was frequently detailed to- assise
at this unique proceeding. While in New
Orleans in 1867 Col Johnston met with
the same gardener, somewhat hnmbied
in spirit, but still vigorous. He bore
no i'll feeling, and the two talked it over
again.
Col. Johnston tells of an incident that
nearly frightened him to death. 1t was
at Ships island. He was detailed TO
'1ay out" man who had recently died.
He was very young at the time, and, to-
gether with two others, he carried the
body to a dead house. AS they entered
this house they were just placing the
body at one end when they heard
slight noise.
The room was very dark and close.
Col. Johnston, then mere boy, lighted
his lantern and peered into the further
corner where two other laid out,
corpses were resting. He observed one
of the forms move.
Almost frozen with terror, he watched
and saw the shroud rise, and from under
the white sheet face appeared. A griz-
zled head loomed in the yellow light of
the lantern and ponderous jaws opened
the young boy, and with scream he
ran from the dead house into the night.
AS he ran he fell over tent guy hold
ing up hospital tent, and he thought
surely some ghost had grabbed him.
h 1t was his worst fright of the war
Buffalo News.