Chapter 19: observations upon matters connected with the War.
- Tribute to individual staff officers -- closing days of the Rebellion -- an interview with Lincoln -- disposal of colored troops discussed -- Butler proposes to take them to the Isthmus of Darien and dig a canal across -- Lincoln's death stops the enterprise -- Conferences with President Johnson -- belief that traitors should have been punished, and their property confiscated and given to Northern soldiers -- Johnston's terms of surrender to Sherman drawn by the Confederate Cabinet -- Davis would have continued the War -- his imprisonment in irons -- at President Johnson's request, Butler suggests a method for trying Davis: a military commission, with an appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States
I think it is due that some word should be said in particular, before closing this account of my military life, of certain gentlemen of my staff and officers who contributed so largely to any success achieved by me. I think I have sufficiently dealt with those who got in my way. Gentlemen holding staff positions in the army, and especially at Washington in time of peace, who have been educated at West Point, in the language of General Sherman, “too commonly construe themselves into the élite, as made of better clay than the common soldier.” I had a few of such detailed to me, but they never stayed long, and I will not trouble myself to speak of them. My personal staff, that is, my aides-de-camp, I selected from civil life. For my field staff who should have charge of the technical matters of military campaigning, such as chief quartermaster, chief commissary, chief of artillery, chief of ordnance, engineers, surgeons, and inspectors, I took the most experienced and best officers I could get. Gallantly, well, and faithfully did they serve, evincing great ability and entire loyalty to their chief, and there were no better officers or men. But as such staff officers, they had no opportunity to distinguish themselves in their line of duty so as to come into much notice in the course of the history of military campaign, although their services were invaluable. When I led the First Brigade of Massachusetts troops into Washington in April, 1861 I had but three staff officers. Two of these served only until the 16th of May, and when I was commissioned major-general they left. One of them, Major Haggerty, served with
