The Bay State Monthly, Volume 1, No. VI. June, 1884 | Page 2

devoted his whole energies to his
profession. At the age of forty he was retained in over five hundred
cases, enjoyed the most extensive and lucrative practice in New
England, and could at that age have retired from active business with an
independent fortune.
POLITICS.
Despite his enormous and incessant labors at the bar, Mr. Butler, since
early manhood, has been a busy and eager politician, regularly for
many years attending the national conventions of the Democratic party,
and entering actively into every campaign.
Before the Rebellion he was twice elected to the Massachusetts
Legislature: once to the House in 1853, and once to the Senate in 1859;
and was a candidate for governor in 1856, receiving fifty thousand
votes, the full support of his party.
In April, 1860, Mr. Butler was a delegate to the Democratic convention
held at Charleston. There he won a national reputation. In June, at an
adjourned session of the convention, at Baltimore, Mr. Butler went out
with the delegates who were resolved to defeat the nomination of
Stephen A. Douglas. The retiring body nominated Mr. Breckinridge, of
Kentucky, for the Presidency, and Mr. Butler returned home to help his
election. It may be here stated that Mr. Breckinridge was a Southern
pro-slavery unionist. Mr. Butler was the Breckinridge candidate for the
governorship of Massachusetts, and received only six thousand votes.
In December, 1860, after the election of Abraham Lincoln was an
established fact, there was a gathering of politicians at Washington, Mr.
Butler among the rest. South Carolina had passed the ordinance of
secession, and had sent commissioners or embassadors to negotiate a
treaty with the general government. Mr. Butler told his Southern
friends that they were hastening on a war; that the North would never
consent to a disunion of the States, and that he should be among the
first to offer to fight for the Union. He counselled the administration to

receive the South Carolina commissioners, listen to their
communication, arrest them, and try them for high treason. Mr. Butler
foresaw a great war, and on his return to Massachusetts advised
Governor Andrew to prepare the militia for the event. This was quietly
done by dropping those who could not be depended upon to leave the
State, and enlisting others in their stead. Arms and clothing were also
prepared. On April 15, 1861, a telegram was received by Governor
Andrew from Senator Henry Wilson asking for troops to defend the
capital. A little before five o'clock, Mr. Butler was, trying, a case
before a court in Boston, when Colonel Edward F. Jones, of the sixth
regiment, brought to him for endorsement an order from Governor
Andrew to muster his regiment forthwith on Boston Common, prepared
to go to the defence of Washington. Two days later Mr. Butler received
the order to take command of the troops.
IN THE WAR.
General Butler's command consisted of four regiments. The sixth was
despatched immediately to Washington by the way of Baltimore, two
regiments were sent in transports to garrison Fortress Monroe, while
General Butler accompanied the eighth regiment in person. At
Philadelphia, on the nineteenth of April, General Butler was apprised of
the attack on the sixth regiment during their passage through Baltimore,
and he resolved to open communication with the capital through
Annapolis.
At Annapolis, General Butler's great executive qualities came into
prominence. He was placed in command of the "Department of
Annapolis," and systematically attended to the forwarding of troops and
the formation of a great army. On May 13, with his command, he
occupied the city of Baltimore, a strategic movement of great
importance. On May 16, he was commissioned major-general, and on
the twenty-second was saluted as the commander of Fortress Monroe.
Two days later, he gave to the country the expressive phrase
"contraband of war," which proved the deathblow of American slavery.
A skirmish at Great Bethel, June 10, was unimportant in its results
except that it caused the loss of twenty-five Union soldiers, Major

Theodore Winthrop among the number, and was a defeat for the
Northern army. This was quickly followed by the disastrous battle of
Bull Run, which fairly aroused the North to action.
On August 18, General Butler resigned the command of the department
of Virginia to General Wool, and accepted a command under him. The
first duty entrusted to General Butler was an expedition sent to reduce
the forts at Hatteras Inlet, in which with a small force he was
successful.
Early in September, he was authorized by the war department to raise
and equip six regiments of volunteers from New England for the war.
This task was easy for the energetic general.
Early in the year 1862, the capture of New Orleans was undertaken,
and General Butler was placed in command of the department of the
Gulf,