History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

94 HISTOEY OF MIDDLESEX COUXTY.
1874. He is now a member of the firm of E. E.
lludge and Company, Boston.
Benjamin F. Butler was born at Deerfield,
N. H., November b, 1818. The district school
helped him to spelling, figures, a little geography,
and the rudiments of grammar. His fatlier died
in 1819, leaving the care of the son to tlie mother,
who conceived the idea of giving him a liberal
education as a preparation for tlie ministry. In
1828 she came to Lowell. Here he had an op-
portunity for education, whicli was well improved.
From the common school \\& graduated to tlie high
school Afterward he attended the academy at
Exeter, preparatory to a college course. Strong
in the hope of seeing him grace the pulpit of a
Baptist church, his motlier sent him to Waterville,
Maine, where the Baptists iiad recently founded a
college. He returned to Lowell in his twentieth
year, with a preference for the legal rather than the
clerical profession. He entered the office of Wil-
liam Smith, Esq., and helped himself to law, occa-
sionally practising in the police court. This prac-
tice, and teaching for a time in one of the public
schools, enabled him to pay for the clothes he
wore. In 1840 he was admitted to the bar. This
marked an era in his life, for in the practice of his
profession he has gained a reputation that will
abide. His military career commenced about this
time. He rose through the various grades to be
a brigadier-general of militia. His varied experi-
ences in the courts and at the hustings are omit-
ted from necessity, and the reader is taken to the
year 1860.
General Butler was a delegate to the democratic
convention held at Charleston that year ; and it was
there, at Baltimore, and subsequently at Washing-
ton, that he acquired a thorough knowledge of the
designs and purposes of the Southern disunionists.
General Butler gave Governor Andrew a full rela-
tion of what he had seen and heard, and advised
him to get the militia of the state in readiness to
move at a day's notice.
"On the morning of the l.'Sth of April, ISGl,
Governor Andrew received a telegram from Senator
Wilson, asking that twenty companies of Mas-
sachusetts militia be instantly despatched to defend
the scat of government. A few hours after, the
formal requisition arrived from the secretary of
war, calling for two full regiments.
The 6th regiment, one of General Butler's brigade,
it was determined should go first. Mr. Cam-
eron was reminded that a brignde recpiirod a
brigadier, and an order was received calling for
a brigade of four full regiments to be commanded
by a brigadier-general. .
General Butler, on the
morning of April 17, received an order to take
command of these troops. The 6th departed that
afternoon. The general accompanied the 8th regi-
ment to Philadelphia, where it arrived on the
memorable 19th of April. At 11 o'clock, a. m.,
April 20, the 8th started in cars for Havre-de-
Grace, where it embarked on the ferry-boat Mary-
laud for Annapolis. The general and troops
arrived safely, and after a tedious and vexatious
delay were landed, much against the wishes of the
governor of Maryland and the mayor of Annapolis.
Upon examination it was found that the railroad
depot contained a "small, rusty, damaged loco-
motive," and when the general inquired of his
men if any of them knew "anything about this
machine," Charles Homans, a private of Company
E, responded affirmatively.
The troops went through to Washington, but
General Butler remained at Annapolis, and was or-
dered by General Scott to hold the town and super-
intend the passage of the troops that were con-
tinually arriving. An offer by General Butler to
employ Massachusetts troops to suppress an insur-
rection of the slaves in Maryland called forth a
mild remonstrance from the governor of Massachu-
setts. This question was better understood at a
later day.
General Butler went to Washington and recommended
the occupation of JIanassas Junction, but
his recommendation was unheeded. He was after-
wards ordered to the Eelay House, the occupation
of which is given in the history of the 6th regi-
ment. After the occupation of Baltimore, General
Butler was recalled to Washington, received a com-
mission as major-general aiid the command of For-
tress Monroe. May 22, he took possession of his
command; then followed the possession of New-
port News, the employment of slaves as contraband
of war, and a spicy correspondence. June 10,
occurred the unfortunate affair of Big Bethel, where
Major Winthrop fell. August 18, General Butler
was removed from the command of Fortress Mon-
roe, and General Wool appointed in his stead
General Butler had been in command of the De-
partment of Virginia two months and twenty-seven
days. He accepted a subordinate position under
General Wool, and participated in the capture of
the forts at Hatteras Inlet. September 10, he
nblaiiu'd an order to raise not exceeding six regi-
;