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

Ben Israel was appointed to West Point when I was in Congress. I had already made three appointments, two of the young men failing to complete the course, and one, a colored lad, not being allowed to enter. The young cadet graduated with honor, and was directed by his father to accept a lieutenantcy in a regiment of colored troops which was stationed on the Plains, that he might have, in addition to his instruction at the academy, the knowledge of the movement and care of troops in actual service. In this onerous work of defending the scattered population on our frontier from Indian raids, he served one year.

The reason for this selection was that I believed then, as I believe now, that this country is to have a war in each generation. Every preceding generation in this country had had its war, and in the most important of all his father had taken an active part. The colonies had, in 1758, the French and Indian War, the result of which was the taking of Quebec by Wolfe, and the destruction of the power of France on this continent. Zephaniah, my grandfather, was a soldier under Wolfe's command. There hangs before me, in my library, a powder-horn, such as was worn by every soldier of that day. On it is engraved with his own knife, “Zephaniah Butler his horn April ye 22, 1758.” And Captain Zephaniah fought with Stark at Bennington.

Then followed the Revolution, from 1775 to 1783, and one of my uncles was at Bunker Hill. The next generation saw the war of 1812 with Great Britain. In this war, my father, John Butler, commanded a company of light dragoons in the regular army. Next, in 1830, were the Spanish wars in Florida and the Gulf States, wherein General Taylor and General Jackson--then captains — so distinguished themselves. Next came the unpleasantness of 1861 to 1865, which, I think, in spite of the euphemism, might well be termed a war of our generation, and with which, it may be seen hereafter, I had somewhat to do.

Therefore, believing that there could be no war in which a son of mine especially would not take a part in his generation, I had him educated at West Point, so that his efforts for his country might not be thwarted by the officers of the regular army because he was not of their nobility, and I required him to go into the field for a year, so that he might get some instruction as a volunteer.