History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

ments in the New England states. He returned
home ; the six thousand troops were raised. February
25, 1862, General Butler sailed from Hampton
Roads in the steamship Mississippi, for Ship Island,
with orders to capture New Orleans. After a re-
markable voyage of nearly thirty days, the steam-
ship arrived at Ship Island and the troops were
landed. April 17, the fleet, under command of
Captain Farragut, approached Fort Jackson, and
on the JJ4th was anchored before New Orleans.
On the 26th of April the 26th Massachusetts,
under Colonel Jones, started for Sable Island,
twelve miles in the rear of Fort St. Philip, and on
the morning of the 27th the fort was invested on
all sides. General Butler hastened to the fleet
before New Orleans, and arrived in season to aid
Farragut by his counsel. The troops were landed
May 1. June 5, Mumford was condemned to die
for tearing down the Union flag. (Jeneral Butler's
government of the city of New Orleans is a matter
of history which my limits will not allow me to
dwell upon. The order appointing his successor
is dated Washington, November 9, 1862 ; his last
general order is dated December 15, and he left
New Orleans December 24. Upon reaching New
York he found a letter from the President, re-
questing his presence at Washington. His at-
tempt there to find out why he was recalled only
led him to the conclusion that the French government
had to be conciliated. His reception at the
North showed that the people approved his course
in New Orleans. lu November, 1863, he was
ordered to take command of the Department of
Virginia and North Carolina. AU colored troops
recruited at the North and in Maryland were sent
to him, and he caused them to be equipped and
drilled. On the 5th of May, 1864, Butler's forces
sailed up the James Eiver, preceded by the navy,
and seized and held two salient points which were
afterwards fortified,— Forts Powhatan and Poca-
hontas.
On the following day fortifications were commenced
on the left bank of the Appomattox, four
miles from Petersburg, and also on the right bank
of the James. Butler made a demonstration upon
Petersburg, and fought the battle of Swift Creek.
His movement upon Richmond was checked by the
battles of the Wilderness, and he returned to Bermuda
Huntlreds, where he was attacked by Beau-
regard, whom he repulsed. He ordered a cavalry
force, under General Kautz, to make an assault on
Petersburg from the south, which he did, but was
LOWELL. 95
not supported by Gilmore on the north. In another
attack ou Petersburg by General Smith and Gen-
eral Hinks, the defences were carried ; but Peters-
burg was reinforced by a portion of Lee's army,
and our forces retired. The next enterprise Gen-
eral Butler engaged in was the Dutch Gap Canal,
four hundred and fifty feet long, which would save
a circuit of seven miles ; it was completed within
thirty feet, when the naval commander thought he
could not hold the river against the rebel gun-
boats. September 29, General Terry, with a colored
division, made an attack on New Market Heights
and took them. Then the entire Tenth Corps
attacked the fortifications on the New Market road.
The Eighteenth Corps, under General Ord, made
an attack on Fort Harrison and captured it. Sep-
tember 30, General Lee sent two divisions to attack
Butler's forces : a battle was fought which resulted
in a victory for the army of the James.
During the summer of 1864 General Butler
conducted the exchange of prisoners, a most labo-
rious duty, and had command of the rebel prison-
ers at Point Lookout. The experiment of blowing
up Fort Fisher with two hundred and fifty tons of
gunpowder was tried and failed. In November
General Butler was sent to New York with a joor-
tion of his command to prevent any disturbance
at the presidential election ; it was a very quiet
election.
July 21, 1864, the Hill Cadets and Butler Rifles,
under Captains Donovan and O'Hare, returned
home after three years' service. Attached to the
16th regiment, they took part in the battles of Fair
Oaks, Malvern Hill, Fredericksburg, Chancellors-
ville, Gettysburg, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold
Harbor, and Petersburg.
October 20, John P. Robinson died, aged sixtyfive.
He was born at Dover, New Hampshire;
educated at Phillips Academy, Exeter, New Hamp-
shire; graduated at Harvard College in 1823; studied
law in the office of Dauiel Webster, and commenced
practice in Lowell in 1827. H. G. F. Corliss
was associated with him first as a student and after-
wards as a partner. Mr. Robinson served one
year in the state senate, five years iu the house
of representatives, and was one of the committee
on the Revised Statutes in 1836. It was said of
" John P. Robinson was an able and accom-
him :
plished lawyer, an eloquent and powerful orator,
and a thorough classical scholar." Mr. Robinson
married a daughter of Ezra Worthen.
Januarv 28, 1865, General B. F. Butler returned