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

[871] to sustain me in that opinion, but, I regret, not all of it, because the correspondence between the higher officers of the army has not been published down to a later date than July, 1864, and I was relieved on the 8th of January, 1865. By good fortune I got from a private source a letter¹ written by Halleck, which led me to the opinion above mentioned. This letter was written at the time that Halleck's friend Smith, of whom he speaks so highly, made his first attempt to get me removed and himself put in my place. It states a good many untruths. For instance, I had not quarrelled with anybody, even with Gillmore; I only took care to make the proper orders in due course of military usage when I found that he had not obeyed orders and lost his expedition. I had made no “demands for reinforcements” up to the time that letter was written, I had only suggested that those which had been promised me might be sent — as I have before stated. I did not ask to be sent anywhere or to do anything that Grant did not ask to have me do at that time. Halleck had received a report that I was doing my duty faithfully and well. The only thing that he ever complained of was, that there was some irregularity in the command of troops in Fortress Monroe while I was in the field. As there were no troops there to be commanded, and the fort was a depot of supplies, and as I had a very competent man there as quartermaster, a captain in the regular army, I thought that a quartermaster might be left in command, as we had absolutely no soldiers there. That was the irregularity to which he called my attention, and I promptly remedied it by removing Brigadier-General Shepley from Norfolk to Fortress Monroe to take charge of that district. I had never written Halleck an unkind letter, and had, until I saw the letter referred to, never had any unkind thoughts of him. Indeed, I knew nothing of him. I have since learned his character, which, as I always speak plainly, I find to be that of a lying, treacherous, hypocritical scoundrel with no moral sense.

Hard words, you say, General Butler. Yes; I use them when they are the only ones which ought to be used, and I only give them as expressing my opinions when the facts will justify me. These facts I will briefly set out here.

I call Secretary Stanton as a witness. He speaks of Halleck from his knowledge of him before the war. General McClellan says:--²