The last Chapter of Butler's rule in New Orleans.
An interesting article describing the departure of
Butler from New Orleans, and the last scenes of his rule there, appears in the Jackson
Mississippian.
We copy a portion of it.
Gen. Butler were a coat of mall, which was clearly discernible under his clothes, and extended to his hips.
In his office two revolvers lay continually on his desk, which he often handled, to impress or intimidate.
Until a the entire population had been disarmed, he never appeared on the streets except in a carriage, with three orderly sergeants and surrounded by a troop of horsemen, all armed to the teeth.
As he lay stretched back on the cushions his glances were as cruel, restless, and suspicious as a tiger cat's. His behavior was full of ostentation and bravado.
His manners showed him to have been bred in a vulgar station, and no glitter of authority could impress the beholder that he was aught but a
parvenue and a pretender.
A silk banner was presented last November, by the colored people, to a negro regiment stationed on the Gentility road, in the rear of the city.--Every day a furniture car, wagon and other conveyance was employed from early morning to carry down crowds of jubilant Ethiopians of both sexes to the camp.
Songs in honor of
John Brown, Massa Butler, and
Uncle rung upon the air from the throats of those who used so melodiously to swell the boa men's chorus upon the
Mississippi steamers.
In the evening
General Butler, with his numerous and splendid Staff, rode down to officiate at the presentation.
He made a long and incendiary speech, urging the blacks to redeem them salves from the taunts of their masters that they would never stand the smell of powder and the gleam of bayonets.
Col. Stafford, commending the regiment, replied in extravagant terms; but the only thing he said worth mentioning was, that one negro as a soldier, was, any day, worth five white men. He doubtless deduced his comparison from himself and his fellow-soldiers, and was therefore justified in his assertion.
This Stafford, before the war, was a New York detective.
He is a blackguard, and of the Bowgry — an Israelite from his ments, and "mine " to the maguammous
Butler.
The lamented
Duceon once spurned him like a dog, but he slunk away and reported to
Butler, who "approved his course" in not resenting the insult.
Another of
Butler's pats is "
Colonel"
Jonas H. French, while
Provost-Marshal- General of
Louisiana but degraded by
Banks to be a police officer in New Orleans — a place which he accepted rather than join the army at
Baton Rouge.
In the first named office this man committed unparalleled extortions and outrages.
Although entitled to nothing but his pay as a Captain on staff, his profits were from one to two thousand dollars per day. When Banks Arrived to supersede
Butler he directed his staff officers to make inquiries, in a quiet way, Among the citizens, and was soon convinced that the stories about French were less than exaggerated.
The "
Colonel," who is by trade a soap , and is a showy looking fellow, is the leader of the
Yankee ton. Banks's advent caused great excitement among the official thieves.
The "
Colonel" remarked to a crowd of them who came to advise with him, "By G--, gentlemen, this thing has gone too far. I hear that my name, even, has been mixed up in it." During
Butler's reign French had three carriage, with a span of bloods for each, four buggies, and several saddle horses.
He is now reduced to locomotion.
Every fine residence in New Orleans is occupied by Yankees.
The house of
Mr. Surget, on Rampart street, has been the headquarters of
Brigadier-General Arnold, who, while laboring under a surfeit of
Mr. Surget's wines, had the city cars passing in front, to travel at a snail's pace, that all might know that his highness was calling.
The paintings and furniture have all been sent away, and the cellar emptied.
's horse, close by, is the barracks of the 12th Maine.
Mr. J. P. Harrison's is now inhabited by
Banks and his family, and
Sheppard Brown's by
Gov. Shepley.
A beautiful house on Prytenia street, above Jackson street was taken by some officers of the line, who, on being called to the field, left their paramours in possession, and the house is now a common brothel.--
George Eustia's, Judge East's and scores of other private dwellings, have undergone the same pollution.
Butler seized the house of
Dr. Campbell for his family, appropriated the sumptuous Furniture and plate, and had a lieutenant and two privates sent to
Fort Jackson with ball and chain for two years for stealing two of his silver spoons, marked with
Dr. Campbell's .
A poor Irish woman far advanced in pregnancy, was heard by one of
Butler's innumerable spies to say that the priest had told her under no circumstances to take the oath, she was dragged before the
General; who flew into one of his paroxysms, heaped upon her the foulest epithets, and directed an orderly to confine her in a dark room on bread and water until she divulged the name of her adviser.
This she refused to do, and she was probably released by
Banks.
The most disgusting and characteristic act of the hyena's career (more revolting even than his causing the tomb of
Gen. Albert Sydney Johnston to be burst open, and his coffin searched for
gold and
silver) was the affair of
Phillips.
This lady is the wife of a gentlemen in
Alabama, who was formerly M. C. from that State, and law partner of
the Hon. Reverdy Johnson.
She was standing on her balcony adjoining, when the funeral of a Lieutenant, killed while marauding near Baton Rouges, passed along the street.
Being observed by an officer to smile at some remark, she was forthwith reported to the
commander-in-chief, who had her arrested and brought before him on the charge of indecently rejoicing at the
Yankee's death.
He offered her the alternative of the oath and a public apology, or solitary confinement at
Ship Island.
She refused the apology and the perjury, and was subsequently sent down to the island.
About the same time a man named
Keller, who keeps an old , labelled the skull of a Mexican, which had been left in pawn by a medical student, with the word "
Chickahominy," and planed it in his show window.
For this grave offence he, also, was condemned to
Ship Island, and the
general order published on the subject stated that he should "he allowed no communication, verbal or otherwise, with any person on the
Island, except with
Mrs. Phillips"
Keller, who is a man of family, was induced to believe this was the notorious
Mallida Phillips, a congress, as well known in New York,
Boston, and
San Francisco, as in New Orleans, begged this part of the order to be rescinded Accordingly, another
general order was promulgated, abrogating "so much of
general order No.--as authorized the said
Keller to hold communication with
Mrs. Phillips." Such was
Gen. Butler's subterfuge striking at the good name of a virtuous wife and good mother, to relieve himself of the odium attached to his unmanly conduct. "Are there no bolts in heaven, save what serve for the thunder?"
There is great disaffection among the soldiers and sailors in
Louisiana.
A gunboat
Lieutenant told the writer that three hundred
Massachusetts soldiers had been sent to New Orleans from
Ship Island for mutiny and beating the blacks, and that one hundred and thirty resignations had occurred among the officers of the flotilla, (his own among them) but had been refused, and the parties classed as . After said the cause was
Lincoln's proclamation.
Credat Judeus Apella sun ego. It was the retributive late or the Harreit Line and the
Hatteras, and the frowning batteries at
Vicksburg and
Port Hudson, which cooled their warlike ardor.
Let our heroes yet a little while Breast the tide of invasion as they have breasted it during the past two years, and Uncle Abraham himself will sympathize with the
South in a few months.
The 25th and 27th Massachusetts are disaffected, and threaten to lay down their arms when called into the field, and the sailors of the
Hartford, the
Pensacola, and the gunboats are arrested in scores for vociferating through the streets that they "won't fight for the bloody neger."