The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-13
Maj. Archibald Wellingham Butt,
By EDMUND c. ARMIES.
U. S. A.

1 though we had never met him before.
 How could we help 1t, in man of such
 kindly nature, happy modesty. gentleness
 and grace Every one said that Archie
 was always a winner and his career has
 been swimming one from the start To
 begin with he was associated with "Marse Henry Watterson's paper in Louisville
 for three years Then he went back to
 his home state of Georgia, where he held
 position on the stan of the Macon Tel | egraph. He was in Macon only a little
 more than year, after which time he be.
 came the Washington correspondent of
 several southern newspapers. In the
 great capital city he was not only asso- ] ciated with men of affairs and promi- | hence, but he made warm friends among
 them. As a correspondent his reports
 were regarded as among the most au- | tbentic sent out from the capital. He simply had that ''knack" of reporting all the salient features of an incident or story and that talent for graphic descrip.
 tion which are so invaluable to a news.
 paper man.
 Among his good friends in Washington
 was General Ransom of North Carolina,
 who, when he was appointed ambassa- dor to Mexico, selected Major Butt as his secretary. While across the border Butt
 kept his eyes open and among the articles
 resulting from his observations may be mentioned one of his contributions to Lipplncotts Magazine. giving an interest ing account of the ruins in Yucatan. He
 was also a Lippincotts prize story writer. He returned to Washington about the time of the Spanish-American war and. through his friendship with Adjutant- General Corbin he was appointed Captain A. Q. NJ, Volunteer Service, in January, 1900 He had himself assigned to the | rfc41 o.<A hAsxa tlxfa vice on the 'Lennox." transport. that very month. It was while carrying out his transport duties that he performed
 the unusual feat of conducting cargo of
 mulessto the Philippines and landing every animal in good condition. This incident | Is famous one in army records, as 1t 1 revolutionized methods of transporting l live stock by water. Butt wrote some treatise on animals and transportation of
 stock which are valuable contributions to 1 the subject In August. 1900, he was made assistant to the depot quartermaster al Manila and few months later was | placed in charge of the office of land transportation in that city. He was ap- 1 pointed captain O. NJ in the regular army
 service February ?, 1901. He was the head
 of the office of land transportation until | April 1e03 when he was ordered to 1 Washington city. Or the islands, how
 eyer, that same ability for starting, or
 for concentrating any movement which ! he showed in college, was crystallized in | the wonderful organization of the little
 brown army of teamsters By capable
 direction and instruction he developed
 1500 Filipinos into good teamsters and packers. who rendered valuable service | to the government.
 | In Washington he was placed in charge of the quartermaster depot for three tl.at la1 filled by any officer of lower rank than
 lieutenant-coloneL Tn September, 1906, he
 was made depot quartermaster at Ifa- vana Cuba and served in that capacity until May 190e when he was appointed
 the Presidents military aide, position created by Mir Roosevelt. Major Butt l 1t may be well to mention that he received
 bis majors commission March 3, 1911-
 made out of this office, which might have
 heen a purely ornamental thing. a posi-
 tion Of worth and service and value. His
 services as the military aide is too well
 known to need comment. It brought him
 not only into prominence before the pub | lic but into it's recognition of his ability
 as A man of affairs. In his relations with
 two Presidents he maintained always his independence and his frankness, and he | became the intimate friend of both-a 1 rather hazardous proposition just at pres-
 ent.
 l They say Archie Butt could not make i A speech Yet the farewell he gave In l his chivalrous fashion when he helped
 the last woman to leave the fated "Ti- tanic"-a farewell of courage and loyalty.
 a farewell that showed the big heart of | the man, a farewell that showed the red lblood of the mar-was better than any speechi They say Archie Butt could not make a speech Yet at Sewanee last fall when with the executive party Major Butt was, of course. the guest of honor;
 when the regretted time came for leaving,
 the whole university was at the station | to see him off. The fellows called: "speechl Speechr' Major Butt said to
 me. Let's hurry in; I cant make
 speech" But the calls continuing he stepped out on the platform just as the l train was moving. He stood there looking out over the student body. silent. and we thought we were going to lose his words, | hut we saw the light of his heart in his eyes we heard him say, Goodbye, | hovsl', and we knew then why Archie
 Butt had never to make speech"