The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1909-05-27
HOW LOUDON BUTLER DIED.
Heroic Son of Hero of Churubusco Sleeps we"
on Chickamauea Battle Ground.

The letters given below by Messrs. ). l.
Bacon and Ira B. Wall, ST., relative TO
the Butler family of South Carolina and the
death of Major Loudon Butler, are taken
from the Charleston News and Courier.
Major Loudon Butler came from South
Carolina to Bossier Parish about 1859 and
took charge of the plantation belonging to
his fathers estate, situated on Red River
about two miles below this place, where ne
made his home until he entered the military
service of the Confederate States. he,
with others, organized company named
"The Bossier Boys" which left Bellevue
on Wednesday, May 8, 1861. This was
the first company to leave the parish. Ar
irving in New Orleans on the steamboat
Grand Duke Sunday afternoon, May 18th,
the company, before disembarklng, was
mustered into the State service by AdJu-
tant- General M. Greviot. After spending
the night in that city at Camp Walker, the
company was sent next day to Camp Moore,
a camp of instruction seventy eight miles
above New Orleans on the Illinois Central
Railroad, in Tangipahoa Parish. Here the
company was being drilled and awaiting
regimental rganization-there being a
sufficient number on the ground to organ
ize full regiment-when Gen. L. T.
Walker, Confederate Secretary OF War,
informed Gov. Moore that he would re-
ceive no more troops from Louisiana unless
they volunteered for ''three years or the
war; "The Bossier Boys" in response
to a call of the Confederate Government,
had volunteered for one year; many regl-
ments from other States and several from
this State had been received for one years
service, and feeling that they were being
treated unfairly by Gen. Walker, refused
to be mustered into the Confederate SER
vice under Gen. Walkers discriminating
order, and were mustered out of service,
together with the Avoyelles Rifles, Bien-
vile Rifles, Cornie Guards, Sabine Rifles
and Southern Guards. Nearly all of the
men from this parish returned home and
Joined other companies, the majority OF
them, we think, going to "The Vance
Guards" Nineteenth Louisiana Regiment.
To show how unjustly Capt. Butler and
other volunteers we're treated at that time
by Gen. Walker, it is only necessary to
say the latter soon revoked his "discrimi-
mating ORDER" and troops from this and all
other Southern States were again received
for term of twelve months, uutil Viz
OuIIscrlpJ Law weuI INTO effect about June,
1862.
From Camp Moore Capt. Butler went to
Virginia, where he served until September,
when he returned to accept the captaincy
of ''The Robins Grays," which company
left the parish September %, 1861, for
Camp Moore. An old time barbecue was
given the company at Fillmore, and re-
ferring to the presentation of a magnificent
flag to "The Grays" and it's acceptance
by their popular commander, the Banner
said: "Capt. Butler replied in his usual
able and polished manner"
We have given the above facts as part
of the history of the times in which Major
Butler took leading part. He fell in a
charge his regiment made on the enemy,
and in his regiment were two companies
from this parish-Company A, "Vance
Guards" and Company B, "Robins
Grays." In the former were many of his
first company whom he commanded in his
last battle.
Bossier Parish sent many gallant sons to
the front, many of whom fell on the sacred
battlefields of the Confederacy, and who
called out her greatest admiration and
deepest affection, but no one was more
universally mourned than her dead hero
at Chickamauga-Major Loudon Butler.
Letter of James T. Bacon.
The interesting letter we subjoin was
handed us by Gen. M. c. Butler, who,
knowing how lovingly it would be read by
the people of Edgefield, suggested that we
should publish it in the Edgefield Chroni-
Gle. However, when we thought of it and
thought of how~many hundreds of men
there are in South Carolina between the
ages of sixty and seventy years who re-
member Loudon Butler with love, and
would be glad to hear more of his war
service and of his death, we concluded to
ask the publication of this letter in the
Sunday News.
Loudon Buther-tall, slender, knightly
and faultlessly, supremely handsome-was