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

[378] the man replied that he would not sell shoes to a d — d Yankee. The next day the provost marshal put a red flag over the shoe store door and sold its contents at auction. That shopkeeper's experiment was not a happy one. But very soon there was no uncivil treatment received by our soldiers except from the upper class of women.

But to return to our. meeting. I read my proclamation to the city officials. Pierre Soule, late United States senator and minister to Spain, was put forth as their spokesman. Mr. Soule did not complain of the proclamation except so far as it foreshadowed the occupation of the city. He said that he knew the temper of the people, and their gallant courage, and they never would submit to it, and I should be putting myself and command in great danger if I did not remove my troops from the city. I replied to him in substance that I was surprised to hear threats made in that conference. I had heard them all my life by Southern men in political conventions, but here they were out of place. He replied to me that he had always looked upon me as a friend of Southern rights. To that I answered: “You do rightly. I am a friend to Southern rights now, but I came here to put down Southern wrongs.” I then stated to the officials that I desired to go about my work in the field, and should be glad to have the co-operation of the city government in carrying on the government of the city so that I should not have to occupy my time with such details; that if they would pledge me their honor that nothing should be done to aid the Confederacy, and if the city government would occupy itself with attempting to relieve the sufferings of the people of the city, I should be glad to have them take charge of its government, especially as I knew the people were starving for supplies that could not be got from any known source. I further stated to Mr. Soule: “I learn that we have captured a thousand barrels of Alexandria beef. I will turn that over to the city government to be fed out to the people. I will also give safe conduct to a steamboat to bring from Mobile, and elsewhere, the flour and provisions you have already purchased there [flour was then sixty odd dollars a barrel in the city], provided there shall be nothing come out of this which shall aid the Confederacy, and that the members of the city government give me their solemn assurance that this will ”