Year: 1864

Dispute or Command Referred TO Wash.


ington-Tryo Position OF Gen. Butler.


Very great Misrepresentation exists In the public mind
70 tho status Of General Butler In the system Of
military government Some think him 10 bs In command
OF the city and harbor o New York, and willing TO
ascribs the excellent dispositions made by him tho
peace and good order Of yesterdays election. Others
yet further and maintain that he In command OF New
York State a. we with power TO proclaim martial law,
seize control Of the militia and do whatever else unto
him may right expedient while yet others cap
the climax OF these "starng rumors" BY maintaining
that he actually In command Of The Department OF the
East and that General John A. Dix has been "urned out
10 graxs with loose brldle."


Now all these rumors and assertions wholly with
out foundation. The fact that Gen. Hunt commands
the city and harbor OF New York by the assignment Of
Major General Dix, commanding the department.; and
that Gen. Hunt neither has been relieved there
the part OF Gen Dix, have to believe, any In
tenton Of relieving him. Gen. Butler assigned by
order OF the President troops 'arriv
ing and to arrvs New York harbor; In other Words
he to retain command OF all the troops from
the Tenth and Eighteenth army corps OF his army
on the James, for long they might may be
detained here 20 meet "ths existing emergencies" !"
These troops, believe, have many of them not yet
disembarked being kept board the transports which
brought hom from Fortress Monroe ready to steam to any
point Of the city In which the civil authorities, through
General Dix, should call for their assistance. The
balance hear been landed at the various forts
In tho harbor.


The whole affair is a great muddle for which the
elusive responsibility rests at Washington and which
only be settled by decision Of the authorities in
highest command Of armies Let briefly recapitu.
late some OF tho points OF difference between General
Butler and the Commanding General OF this department
a areb II n v w
words entitled TO credit.


General Dix applied to the War Department brief
time for couple Of thousand Troops 10 be stationed
until after the election in the various forts OF har
bor these troops then to proceed for duty to the Cana
dian frontier for the purpose OF repeng such raids
the St. Adams affair and the protection OF
chief cities on the borders OF the Northern lakes.


Upon this the War Department, through Of It's As
sisant secretTes-the Secretary Of War being worry III
unable TO attend to busness-3ppled to General Grant
to know he could spare any troops tho purposes
named General Grant referred the matter TO General
Buter saying that he could spare troops from the
Army OF the Potomac; but that IL General Butler thought
he could spare any from tho Army Of tho James, he
at liberty to make such details as he could afford.


General Butter went 70 Washington, where he imme.
datey had Interview with the Assistant Secretary OF
War question: that tier ordered General Butler
New York city at once to report for duty to General
DIX" and 70 take commsud Of all troops sarrving and
to arrive' from the Army OF the James.


On the arrival o; General Butler he formally took
mand not only OF the city and harbor New York. out
all New York State, and all the armed forces therein in
cudng the State militia although mustered into the
service OF tho United states To all this General Dix
phatcaly objecscd the following grounds,
we have beon able TO earn-First, that General Hunt
in command Of the city harbor gave perfecs
satisfactiop TO hiu-9enerai DIX secondly, that no,
General Dix, still 10 command OF the department.
and saw good for erecting the peaceful and
loyal State OF New York into separate military district
and thirdly, that for General Butler. any other
officer in tho service OF the United States 10 attempt
seizng control OF the militia not mustered iato the
service d she Union, and still liable tho orders Of the
Governor commander chief OF the State troops
would bs uncalIed for and unconstitutional act al
most certain to breed trouble, and greatly tending 70
provoke the scenes Of violence which 1t the common
duty OF all good cizsps In out OF UNIFORM to aid in
avoiding For these General Dix suppressed the
final paragraph General Buffers general order
No. l." 10 which, after stating that 'there can be
no military organization In aoy State known 70 the law,
the militia and OF the Uuted states" Gene.
raj Butler vent to assume command OF all the
State militia with instructions to the commanding ON.
OF the state militia report him. This dddeium
suppressed by command OF Geperal Dix, Major
General Sanford having earnestly expressed his deter
mnaon not to report TO General Butler under any such
assumed authority although perfectly willing to report TO
General Dix with bis command whenever properly called
upon by the rightful authorities.


Against these decisions Gen. Butler taken appeal
TO Washington. where, is rumored the Secretary OF
War sustans the action OF Gen. Dix, and unrescrved
condemnug the wording o. the Instructions given
BY his subordinate to Gen. Butler tho Of tho
whole porplexity. The election being peaceably
over he thinks that the veteran troops Withdrawn from
the Army OF the James should be Immediately returned
to duty at the 'front.' with the exception Of the feen
hundred two thousand asked for by Gen. Dix for
vice along the Canadian line whether Gen Butler will
bc returned 10 that command, Buffalo, with
brigade from the James River troops now in our
harbor, remains yet TO be seen.


ANnrurn Dali pnAn AnnInrN1