Autobiography and personal reminiscences of Major-General Benj. F. Butler; Butler's book (1892) (14583174308)

Identifier: autobiographype00butl (find matches)

Title: Autobiography and personal reminiscences of Major-General Benj. F. Butler; Butler's book

Year: 1892 (1890s)

Authors: Butler, Benjamin F. (Benjamin Franklin), 1818-1893

Subjects:

Publisher: Boston, A.M. Thayer

Text Appearing Before Image:

rranged. I determined if possible to witness it, and going accordingly to the Executive Mansion thenext morning, 1 quietly opened the door and looked into the Presidents reception room, wherean impressive tableau was being enacted. You sat directly facing the President, as if in the actof speaking to him. Tbe President sat in his chair upright but blanched. The view was instan-taneous ; and unwilling to disturb its surprising effect, I at once closed the cloor, and have eversince preserved in my mind the photographed scene: — Your attitude was aggressive, and theposture of the President denoted amazement struggling with fear. I concluded that you hadjust discharged at him your demand that the commissioners be hanged and that the Presidentsappearance indicated its prostrating effect upon him. In the course of one of those initial stages of the Rebellion, the President once said to methat he was the last President of the United States. Sincerely yours, John Cochrane. BUTLERS BOOK. 157

Text Appearing After Image:

rcryr ghtcd. Washington Scenes ix 1861. l. Pennsylvania Avenue lookincr towards Capitol.2. War Department Building before War. 3. Navy Department Building before War. BUTLERS BOOK. 159 of relief therefrom. Accordingly, I wrote a note to Jefferson Davis,then a member of the Senate, soliciting an interview. He sent me acard inviting me to take tea with him on that evening, as lie wouldbe alone. Accordingly I went, and was hospitably and quietlyreceived, and a conversation of several hours followed, in which thewhole situation was discussed. That interview convinced me thatwar was inevitable. I do not rehearse this conversation at length, because a privateconversation between friends is not a proper subject for publication.Yet I think I may say without offending that etiquette, that I askedhim how he could justify himself in joining the South in breach ofhis oath of allegiance to the United States. He answered: My firstoath of allegiance is to the State of Mississippi, and my allegiancet

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1892

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