General Butler: Beast or Patriot - New Orleans Occupation May-December 1862

By Christopher G. Peña

After only eight months in Louisiana, General
Benjamin Butler departed New Orleans vilified by many Confederate politicians,
their military leaders, the Southern press, and some citizens and foreign
consuls living in the city. His
eight-month stay was long enough for some Northern politicians who viewed him
as a troublemaker. In the South, Butler
was regarded as a thief, murderer, and beast. But was he those things, or
simply a patriot who sought to punish the South for its treason? The answers
lie within.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Dec 9, 2003
• ISBN: 9781410741745

Christopher G. Peña

CHRISTOPHER G. PEÑA is a retired Associate Professor of Nursing with a Bachelor’s degree in History. Though a registered nurse by profession, Peña is an avid reader of American Civil War history, and is the author of four books and countless articles that chronicle the war in Louisiana, his native state. Peña’s interest in history eventually drew him to his paternal roots in Mexico and the events that eventually lead to the family’s relocation to the United States. Peña lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, with his wife, Linda.

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© 2003 by Christopher G. Peña. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the author.

ISBN: 1-4107-4174-5 (e-book)

ISBN: 1-4107-4173-7 (Paperback)

ISBN: 1-4107-4172-9 (Dust Jacket)

ISBN13: 978-1-4107-4174-5 (ebook)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2003092765

The author can be contacted at his home address:

714 Highway 308

Thibodaux, Louisiana 70301

or

email: [e-mail]

Cover

New Orleans, LA and Its Vicinity delineated by J. Wells and engraved by W. Ridgway, 1863, author’s collection, Maj. Gen. Benjamin F. Butler, courtesy Library of Congress. Cover Design: Pamela P. and Keith D. Smith, Houma, LA.

1stBooks - rev. 12/02/03

CONTENTS

ILLUSTRATIONS

MAPS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

PREFACE

CHAPTER ONE   BUTLER BLOSSOMS

CHAPTER TWO   EASTERN THEATER AFFAIRS

CHAPTER THREE   PRELUDE TO NEW ORLEANS

CHAPTER FOUR   ASSERTING HIS POWER

CHAPTER FIVE   ROUTING OUT THE DISLOYAL

CHAPTER SIX   MILITARY AFFAIRS AND RECALL

CHAPTER SEVEN   POST NEW ORLEANS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

For John Dennis

ILLUSTRATIONS

Major General Benjamin F. Butler, frontispiece

Following page 91

New Orleans, LA and Its Vicinity

Andrew Jackson Butler

Mrs. Sarah Butler

Secretary of War Simon Cameron

Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton

Secretary of State William H. Seward

Secretary of Navy Gideon Welles

Rear Adm. David G. Farragut

Rear Adm. David D. Porter

Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant

Maj. Gen. Henry W. Halleck

General P.G.T. Beauregard

General Mansfield Lovell

Gen. B. F. Butler and Staff

Abraham Lincoln

Andrew Johnson

Women of New Orleans Insulting Federal Officers

Arrest of Mrs. Larue at New Orleans

St. Charles Hotel

The Mint at New Orleans

U. S. Customhouse

MAPS

Familiar Places to General Butler

Butler in the East 1861

The Mouth of the Mississippi

Lower Mississippi River

Southeast Louisiana 1862

Bird’s-eye view of Vicksburg

Bermuda Hundred and Vicinity June 1864

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

During the summer of 2000, I enrolled in History 490, an independent study class supervised by Dr. John Dennis, Associate Professor of History at Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, Louisiana. Dr. Dennis was aware of my passion for researching and chronicling those events that occurred in our state during the American Civil War. With that in mind, I left the choice to him to select the war topic to research that he thought might be of interest to both of us. After thinking a short while, he suggested that I do a paper on Ben Butler’s 1862 occupation of New Orleans, which I agreed to. I was delighted with the assignment because I had recently purchased original copies of Benjamin Butler’s 1892 autobiography and James Parton’s 1863 biography of Butler while he served in New Orleans. Both books had a wealth of information that I could use, though obviously each was slated in Butler’s favor. Coupled with possessing a copy of Chester Hearn’s 1997 When the Devil Came Down to Dixie: Ben Butler in New Orleans, which served as a blueprint for my paper, as well as owning a large library of Civil War related books and materials, I went about the task of writing my version of the truth related to Butler’s stay in the Crescent City. Over the course of several months I attempted to compose an interesting story, to streamline Hearn’s account, and to add to his body of knowledge bits of data, stories, and events not mentioned or only briefly discussed in his book. By early October 2000, the result was General Butler: Beast or Patriot-New Orleans Occupation May – December 1862, which was delivered to Dr. Dennis for his evaluation.

Dr. Dennis’ appraisal of my version of the truth about Benjamin Butler’s days in New Orleans was for the most part very positive. However, if there was one thing that I learned from Dr. Dennis’ critique of my work, it was that there was always room to improve when attempting to chronicle and interpret historical events. Dr. Dennis’ suggestions for enhancing my work and his encouragement to continue my studies in history, led me to refine some areas of the paper, expand other sections, and answer some of those important why questions that he posed, which were missing in my original manuscript. Dr. Dennis’ feedback in December 2000 led to this final version of the book. I am most grateful to Dr. John Dennis for sharing his love of history with me, and I dedicate this book to him.

I would be remiss if I did not thank other important people who gave their time and talents in order to assist me during the research, writing, and publishing phase of this book. Many thanks to Thomas J. Smith of Metairie, Louisiana, who assisted me in the early stages of writing and for words of encouragement; Angele Davis of Lockport, Louisiana, who provided me with computer technical support, Carol A. Mathias, Archivist, Head of Special Collection and Emilie Pitre, archive staff, Allen J. Ellender Memorial Library, Nicholls State University for often pointing me in the right direction; Ella Robinson of Pleasant Grove, Alabama, for assistance in the final editing; Andrea Lutz, Associate Director of Author Services, Jill Weimer, Account Management, and the staff of 1stBooks Library for their assistance in producing this book; and my wife and best friend, Linda, who is always by my side. A special thanks goes to my oldest daughter, Pamela, and her husband, Keith Smith. Thank you for your assistance in reproducing the maps, sketches, and photos that appear in this book, as well as creating the cover design of the book.

Christopher G. Peña

PREFACE

His peers and most historians never looked upon Major General Benjamin Franklin Butler as a brilliant military strategist while he was the commander of the Union designated Department of the Gulf from February through December 1862. Prior to coming to New Orleans, Butler never led any troops upon a field of battle. Rather, he was a political general as were so many military leaders on both sides of the war. Nevertheless, he was brilliant in other ways. The genius of Butler came from his savvy political insight and his ability to govern the hostile community of New Orleans with an iron hand. This dogged talent led to a sea of ill feelings toward Butler while he governed the Crescent City. As a result, New Orleans, once proud cornerstone of the newly created Confederacy, would never again be the same. Before Butler departed Louisiana in late 1862, New Orleans public officials and businessmen, Confederate state and national officials, foreign consuls, and some private citizens accused Butler of being a damned old villain, a murderer, thief, liar, and scoundrel, a monster, gold robber, a wretch, a cross-eyed devil, a drunken sot, or simply a beast.¹ General Butler, if I thought the devil was as ugly a man as you, blasted one Irish woman living in New Orleans, who sought but was denied a special favor from Butler, I would double my prayers night and morning that I never fall into his clutches.²

As an alleged champion of the poor and an agitator of the rich and powerful, Butler came to New Orleans with a military chest of $75 and a personal net worth of $150,000. By 1868, his personal net worth had increased to an estimated $3 million. His salary obtained as a soldier, his resumption of political office, and lawyer-making after the war would neither equal that sum assumed by 1868 nor explain his increased wealth. Louisianans, who embraced the Confederate cause, never doubted the source of his prolific wealth. ³

But was Butler a thief who masterminded the theft of millions of dollars while in command of the Department of the Gulf, or was he just a shrewd businessman, lawyer, and master politician after the war? Was he a proud Union patriot who was given command of a beastly city hell-bent on resisting Yankee occupation, or a power hungry tyrant? Were the wealthy of New Orleans unjustly made to suffer under his rule, or did Butler punish the wealthy for what he believed to be their sins responsible for the war? The answers to these questions lie somewhere in between.

In the pages that follow I will examine Ben Butler’s administration of the city and his dealings with New Orleans’ public officials, businessmen, private citizens, and foreign consuls that led to so much bad blood between them by December 1862. I will also examine his military management of the Department of the Gulf and explain why Butler did not, or could not destroy, Confederate forces in outlying areas in southeastern Louisiana. In particular, I will examine why the Confederate stronghold at Port Hudson was left unmolested under Butler’s watch.

To Butler’s credit, his triumphs in cleaning up the Crescent City and enforcing strict sanitary and quarantine laws, which saved thousands of countless lives, will be chronicled. Yellow fever epidemics that claimed thousands of lives in the city and in portions of southeastern Louisiana the decade before, never plagued Butler or his command while quartered in the state. Not a single case of yellow fever was ever reported among military personnel within the department. In the end, Butler was viewed as either a savior or a demon, a patriot or a vile scum. He was a man innocent of some charges lodged against him, yet guilty of others, or, at least, guilty of violating the spirit of the law as he took advantage of the disenfranchised citizenry in order to benefit himself and his brother, Andrew, who accompanied him to the South.

To whose who still call Ben Butler a beast, no degree of evidence to the contrary will dissuade them from their belief. For his defenders, both past and present, like his late biographer James Parton, who in 1863 referred to the general as a great achiever who possessed courage, will, firmness [and] nerve, no degree of negativity could alter or sway their support.⁴ To this day, 141 years after the fact, Butler’s name conjures up a dichotomy of emotional reactions. This book will not satisfy those searching for proof of absolute innocence or guilt. Rather, it will attempt to create a bridge between the polls, possibly enabling both sides to see that the truth of Butler’s action in New Orleans lies somewhere in between.

Christopher G. Peña

Thibodaux, Louisiana

March 2003

CHAPTER ONE

BUTLER BLOSSOMS

a little cockeyed devil

Benjamin Butler was born in the afternoon of November 5, 1818, in Deerfield, New Hampshire, the youngest of three children of John and Charlotte Ellison Butler. Benjamin’s father died of yellow fever when he was five months old, leaving the young infant fatherless. Benjamin, described as small and sickly at birth, disfigured with a drooping eyelid and a severe case of strabismus or being crossed eyed, in time would come to count on his older brother Andrew, who served as a substitute father. A lasting bond between the two brothers developed.¹ The trust they had for one another would reach new heights when the pair traveled south to New Orleans in 1862.

Benjamin’s younger years were a mixture of anxiety and contentment for his mother, who after the sudden death of her husband was saddled with raising three children alone. Young Benjamin’s health, his sickly appearance, more than anything else, caused his mother much apprehension. Benjamin could do little to improve the body he was given, but he compensated in other ways. He immersed himself in reading, having had his mother teach him his letters by age four. He quickly developed an appetite for literature and the wide vocabulary it gave him. Butler’s later abilities to articulate his viewpoint, reason, and to think can be attributed to the strong educational foundation he received as a youth while attending several common schools, the Academy of Exeter, a college preparatory school, and later Lowell (Massachusetts) High School. (A clergyman, who had befriended Butler’s mother, built a house for her in Lowell during the late 1820s, the same time period that Butler attended Exeter. Butler spent time in Lowell between terms and eventually enrolled in Lowell High School beginning in December 1830. At that high school Butler finished his college preparatory work.)

His knowledge more than compensated for his facial abnormalities and general appearance, features that often left him in social isolation. When teased as a boy for his odd look and mannerisms, Butler would strike back at his adversaries with a barrage of verbal epithets, articulated in such a matter, that it often left them speechless or powerless to respond. However, on occasion, he was not above the use of brute force to make his feelings known. At Exeter, when called a little cockeyed devil by an upper classmate, Butler struck the lad with a stick.² His command of the English language would serve him well later in the political world as a lawyer and master politician.

After completing his studies at Lowell High School, Ben Butler, at first had aspirations of being educated at West Point. His mother attempted to solicit two congressmen at different times to give Benjamin an appointment to the military academy. Lack of political connections and his mother’s lack of social standing, in spite of her late husband’s military career with Andrew Jackson, doomed any chances of a military career for Benjamin.

Whether he would have been accepted if appointed was uncertain. His overall physique at age sixteen, small in stature, health infirm, of fair completion, and reddish brown hair, still left much to be desired and likely would lead to his disqualification. This early disappointment would teach Butler a valuable lesson. Political influence was a must if one was to achieve any station in life.³

Having been passed over at West Point, Benjamin attended Waterville College, a Baptist school at Waterville, Maine. His mother wanted him to become a minister. Benjamin was well versed in Old and New Testament scriptures, having been indoctrinated with Bible study at an early age by his mother, a religious woman of the strictest sect of Calvin, according to Butler. Benjamin went, not to become a minister, but rather to receive an education and the degree. Almost from the beginning of his studies, Butler felt himself above the rest. Unfortunately, I had a much higher standard as to clergymen than they had, and I observed all their shortcomings and outgoings, commented Butler on the school.⁴

His ego at sixteen, his first year at the college, was emerging and continued to grow throughout his four years there. Butler’s graduation from Waterville in the summer of 1838 could not have come any sooner for his professors, who, no doubt, had had their fill of Benjamin’s superior intellect. In a sense, the frustration they felt toward Butler was of their own making. They asked for it. At the close of each discourse, the lecturer invited the class to offer objections, James Parton, Butler’s biographer wrote in 1863. Young Butler seized the opportunity with alacrity, and plied the doctor hard with the usual arguments employed by heterodox. Butler’s augmentative style brought him few admirers among the faculty. [It] was touch-in-go whether he could be permitted to graduate at all, Parton wrote, commenting on Butler’s perceived status among the faculty as a rebel. ⁵ Of course, he did graduate. The president of Waterville College, no doubt, realized the folly of obstructing Butler’s progress.

Parton viewed Butler’s rebel rousing as more of an intellectual exercise and sport than viciousness toward his instructors. The youth came out of college as good a Christian as he went in, Parton noted. The problem with that preceding statement for some individuals was that Butler never was Christian to begin with. Six years before

Benjamin attended Waterville College he was known as the dirtiest, sauciest, lyingest child on the road…He was tricky and wanton, serving in youth as a warning to other boys. No boy in the country could lie like Ben Butler.⁶ When he graduated, he was ready for politics, and becoming an attorney would be his avenue to the political world and the power it possessed. During one of his last years at Waterville, Butler "witnessed in court a well-contested trial, and as he marked with admiration the skillful management of the opposing counsel and shared the keen excitement of the strife, he said to himself: ‘This is the work for me.’" ⁷ His mother desired to see young Benjamin standing in a pulpit preaching; however, the Word never materialized.

Benjamin’s poor health and sickly appearance, which persisted through his twentieth year, was finally arrested after his graduation from Waterville. It took a four-month cruise in the northern Atlantic, where he served aboard a fishing vessel owned by a friend of his father, to at last cure young Benjamin of his infirmities and establish his physical fitness. The dry, frozen air strengthened his lungs, and he gained twenty-five pounds during the voyage. Since that time health and strength of body have never deserted me, remarked Butler years later.⁸

Now sound of body and in mind, Benjamin returned to Lowell, Massachusetts, to pursue his dreams of becoming a lawyer. He became a clerk in the law offices of William Smith, Esquire, a New Hampshire lawyer, who had a complete library of all the classic legal works of the time. Because Smith had a second office in Boston, young Benjamin was often left alone to absorb the vast amount of legal writings at his deposal. During the two years with Smith’s firm Butler did little else but read, study, and occasionally attend court or serve papers on one of Smith’s delinquent tenants, for which he was sometimes paid a small fee. (Smith had a number of tenement buildings in his charge and turned the legal process of defaulting tenants over to Butler. This gave young Benjamin valuable legal experience in police court as he went about crafting his skills as a prospective lawyer.)

To earn additional money, Butler took charge of a small academy during the autumn of 1839, in the neighboring community of Dracut, where he was paid a salary based upon student enrollment. When Butler took charge, he found the majority of the largely male student population undisciplined. Their rowdiness had routed the prior preceptor. Butler quickly brought order to the chaos, and in the process, lost eleven pupils out of twenty-one during the first three weeks of his employment. To his credit, with order restored to the school, a new breed of pupils began to enroll at the academy, including additional females. By the end of the third month, Butler had replaced those pupils initially lost with new ones and added five additional pupils. Butler learned the value of being a strict disciplinarian. He would take that virtue with him to New Orleans in the spring of 1862.⁹

By September 1840, Butler, having only two years of study completed instead of the usual three, was admitted to the bar. He had astonished Judge Charles Henry Warren of the Court of Common Pleas with his legal intellect. Benjamin had questioned one of his court rulings and cited his rationale based on the law. Judge Warren later reversed himself based upon Butler’s presentation. He began his practice on September 3, 1840.¹⁰

By the autumn of 1840, Butler began his education in national politics. At first, he failed the task. He made speeches on behalf of President Martin Van Buren, who was running for reelection against William Henry Harrison. His ego was temporarily deflated after Harrison defeated Van Buren, and for a time Butler distanced himself from politics. He devoted his time thereafter to increasing his legal knowledge, as he had realized that politics alone, without strong legal expertise, led to poor financial compensation.¹¹ Many of his future opponents would claim Butler mastered that concept with perfection.

Between the 1840 and 1844 presidential elections Butler busied himself on two fronts, one personal, one political. In the spring of 1843, he became engaged to Sarah Hildreth. He had met Sarah during a Thanksgiving visit to her home in