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

[191] all that had been eaten on the march, as might have been expected of raw volunteers.

With this outfit we steamed for Annapolis. It was a fine night, although quite dark. We got into Annapolis Harbor and steamed up toward the wharf of the academy, where lay the good ship Constitution. As nobody knew that we were coming, we expected that the old town would be perfectly quiet and that we should take the people by surprise. But as it was, they took us by surprise, for as soon as we got fairly in sight the “assembly” was beaten, men were forming, the lights were glancing, the academy was all lighted up, and it was quite evident that we were expected. We came to anchor and lay quiet. No guns were fired and no attack made, and the men

Annapolis in 1861.

were piled up on the deck so thickly that we could hardly pass among them without stepping upon them.

After thinking the matter over carefully, I concluded to send somebody on shore to find out what all this meant. I selected Capt. Peter Haggerty of my staff to take a letter from me to whoever was in command. Just as our yawl was putting off, my brother said to me: “I will go with him.” Accordingly he stepped into the boat, and handing his revolver to the officer of the deck said: “Here, take this. I shall not capture Annapolis with this if I have it, and if they take me I don't want them to get a good revolver.” In about an hour, as I stood at the gangway, I heard the sound of oars, apparently muffled. Directly I could see a boat with five people in it, four