Benjamnin F. Butler, Butler's Book: Autobiography and Personal Reminiscences of Major-General Benjamin Butler

[175] much pleasure. My old colleague in the Charleston convention, Mr. Chapin, the president of the Boston & Albany Railroad, a firm old Democrat, met me with great cordiality, thanking me for what I was doing, and offering to provide every facility for our transportation to New York. I remember he apologized to me for not having a sleeping-car at his disposal in which myself and officers could be accommodated. As it was, I tested early the discomforts of campaigning by sitting up in the cars all night.

We arrived in the morning at New York in good health, and the regiment accepted the invitation of Mr. Stetson to breakfast with him at the Astor House. Myself and staff accepted a like invitation from Mr. Paran Stevens, the landlord of the Fifth Avenue Hotel. There I first met Senator Baker, of Oregon, afterwards General Baker, and who was detailed to me at Fortress Monroe. As we stood together on the balcony of the hotel, my regiment passed by, cheering me very lustily. Baker, who had been in the Mexican War, turned to me and said: “All very well, General, for them to cheer you when they go out, but take care of them so that they will cheer you on their return.”

We embarked at Jersey City about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, as soon as the trains could be prepared; There was a little delay there because the railroad people said they could not get cars to carry us without discommoding their passenger trains; and I said to the official that we must go whether the passenger trains went or not. With some hesitation he yielded to necessity.

We arrived at Philadelphia between four and five o'clock in the evening, and the regiment was quartered at the Girard House. Upon invitation of Mr. Stevens, myself and staff took quarters at the Continental.

As soon as I got to my hotel, the extras of the Philadelphia Press were brought to me, containing accounts of what was supposed to have happened to the Sixth Regiment in Baltimore. These were sufficiently distressing, because at first the telegrams were that the regiment, or a large portion of it, had been captured in Baltimore. If that were a fact, it was a question of duty whether I ought not to go through and rescue them. But later in the evening I got more reliable information, which I transmitted by telegraph to Governor Andrew.