The Texas Union.(San Augustine, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 41, Ed. 1, Saturday, July 15, 1848 Page: 1 of 4
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
or
WILLIAM O. BUTLER
bt rsixcn r. blah.
(Compiled from tie original.)
Gem. Bcixim's gnnd&ther Thomas
Brier wubora 6th April 1720 in Kil.
kaaej Ireland. He married there in
1742. Three of hit fire sons whoaj.
tained manhood Richard Williira and
Thomat ere bom abroad. Pierce the
&therof Gcn.Wm.0. Butler and Ed.
lrwd the Tounsest son vers bora in
Bsmurrcuua. It is rcmarltable that all
these men and all their immediate male
descendants with a single exeepUonwrre
engaged in the military service of this
comtrT.
The eldest Richard ires lieutenant
colonel of Morgan s celebrated nlie regi-
ment and to him it owed much of the
high character that gave it a fame of its
own apart fiom the other corps of the
revolution. The 'cool disciplined valor
which gave steadj and deadlr rfiiectioato
the rifles of this regiment was derived
principally from this officer who devoted
himself to the drill of his men. He was
promoted tn lh full command of a regi-
ment sometime during the war and in
that capacity commanded Wayne's left
in the attack on Stony Point. About the
year 1790 he was appointed major gen.
oral. On the 4th of November 1791
he was killed in Gen. St Clair's bloody
battle with the Indians. Hiseumbatwith
the Indians after he was shot gave such
peculiar interest to his fate that a re.
presentation of himself and the group
surrounding him was exhibited through-
out the Union in wax figures. Notices
of this accomplished soldier will be found
la Marshall's Life of Washington pages
150311420. In Gen. St. Clan's re-
port in the American Museum vol. xL
nam 44 Appendix.
Win. Butler the second son was an
officer throughout the revolutionary war;
lose to the rank of Colonel and was in
many of the severest battles. He was
the favorite of the family and was boast-
ed of by his race of heroos as the coolest
ttd bravest man in battle they had ever
known. When the army was greatly re.
doced in rank and file and there were
saany superflnoos officers they organized
themselves into a separate corps and
elected him to the at"""1 General
Washington declined receiving this novel
Corps of commissioned soldiers ; but in a
frond 4rfi-w'"11 did honor to their de-
Vtjtod pBsfMtUBls
Of-Taii-is Bntlir tU third son we
eaa the.fgHowing facts from the Amen-
can Bicrsphkal' Dictionary: In the
year 1T78 whilst he was a student at law
to the office of the eminent Judge Wil-
ieef rVsdelphss he left his pursuit
aal juiaed the army as a subaltern. He
asoa obtained the command of a compa.
ay hi which he eoatianed to the dose of
the revessnoBaxT war. no was v
Mt varracthisr
tnslit in the nuUle
ascar she war. At tneoatUeofl
he leceiied the. thanks of
; 'on the Beldof battle thro'
hk aal irr tTi Gea. Hamilton for Jus
j. kref4d coadoct m rallying a ofctachment
'Vntnatiag troops and givmg ue ene.
sna severe are. At the battle of Moo.
"oath be reeefved the thanks of General
Wayaetsrdefcadiata aehle in the ftce
sst-jawetesto frem the enemy while
OiImsI Bli hnr1 -'-'- regaaaataade
nssdhaiatreat.
-jstaatalsaa of the war he retired into
CsjtoMt a asarmer tad catanedia
imiimmlaf ion! aad domestic hap.
TJ Ti j --p
Ssafciw Ml to Met she ant Sm jhat
Ibaelsaaafhb ka waa esasatstnd
fcnilli.' saWWU ww arrasssdl
ib wa triad hyj
acoTrrtinsjtialand )cquitted of all the
charfea save that of leeerw; lot tor.
Re was then ordered to New Orleans
where he arriwd to take coaaaandofl
the troops October aeth. tie was again
arrested next month; bat the court did
not sh until Jul r of the aext year aad
their deeisian is not known. Colonel
Botlerdied September 7. 1906. Oat of I
the arrest aad riersecanoaeftUs staesy
veteran Washington Irrisaj (Kafcker-
bocker) has worked up a line piece ofbur-
lesrme. in which Gen. Wifloason's eha-
rrl.isioitablro!ineaedin"thatof
the Tain and pompous ben. vonronen-
burg. Perciral Butlen.the fourth son father
I of Gen. Wm. O. .Batlerswa born at
Carlisle ssennsvlranla. ut 1701a tie en.
tered the army ax a b'eutenant at the age
of eighteen: was with Washington at
Valley Forge ; was in the battle of Mon-
mouth and at the taking of Yorktown
being through the whole series of strug-
gles in the middle States with the troops
under the coaunander-in-chief except for
a short period when he was attached to a
light corps canmanaca by uuayeae woo
presented him with a sword. Near the
close of the war he went to the south
with the Penniylrania brigade where
peace found him. He emigrated to Ken-
tucky in 1784. He was the last of the
old stock left when the war of 1912 com.
mencedl He was made adjutant general
when KentuckVliecame a State and in
thatcapacityjoiiedoneoftheannies sent
out by Hentuclr during the war.
Edward Buler the youngest of the
five brothers vas too voung to enter the
army in the fin stages of the revolution
but joined it near the clese and had risen
to a captaincy when Gen. St. Clair took
the comniani and led it to that disastrous
defeat in which so manr of the best sol.
diers of the country perished.
Of these fire brothers four had sons all
of whom wiih one exception were en
gaged in the military or naval service of
the country during the last war.
Ferciral Butler captain in the revolu-
tionary war and adjutant general of Ken-
tucky during the last war had four sons ;
first Thomas who was a captain and aid
to Gen. Jackson at New Orlt ans ; next
Gen. Win. O. Butler the subject. of this
.notice: third. Richnnl. who wan .assist
ant adjut jfnt general in the campaigns of I
the war of 1S12 ; l'emral llu'Uer tnc
youngest son now a distinguished law
yer was not ol an age to war anna in
the last war. Of the second generation
of the Butlers there" are nine certainly.
and probably more engaged in the pre.
sent war.
This glance at the family shows the
character ef the war. An anecdete de-
rived from a letter of an old Pennsylvania
friend to the parents who translated it
from Ireland shows that its military in.
stinct was an inheritance. 'While the
fire sons" says the letter "vers absent
from home in the service of the country
the old father took it in his head to go
also. The neighbors collected to re.
monstrate against it ; but his wife said
'Let him go! I can get along without him
and raise something to feed the army in
the bargain ; and the country wants every
man who can shoulder a musket" It
was doubtless this extraordinary zeal of I
the Butler family which induced General
Washington to give the toast "The But.
lere and their five sons" at his own ta.
ble whilst surrounded by a large party of
officers. This anecdote rests on the au-
thority of the (late General Findlay of
Cincinnati. A similar tribute ot respect
was pain to this devoted house of soldiers
by Uen. Latayctte in a letter now extant
and in the possession of a lady connect.
ed with them by marriage. Lafayette
says "TFocnerrr trantcd a Mug well
done 1 ordered a aimer to do u.
From this retrospect it will be seen.
tbalinauine wars or tne country mine
revolutionary war in the but British war
and the present Mexican war the blood
of almost every Butler able to bear anna
bas been treely sued in tne public cause.
Major Gen. Wm. O. Butler is now among
the highest in the military service of hu
country; and he has attained this grade
from the ranks the position ot a private
being the only one he ever sought. At
the opening of the war of I812he had
rust graduated in the Transylvania Uni
versitv.and was looking to the law as a
profession. The surrender of Detroit
and of the army by HuBV aroused the
patriotism and the valor of Kentucky:
jsxnd young Butler yet in his minority was
among tne nm to vommeer. ne cave
up his books and the enjoyments of the
gay and polished society of Lexington
where he lived among a circle of fond
sad partial relations the' hope to gratify
their ambition m shining at the bar or in
the political forum of the State to join
Captain Hart's company of iafantry as a
private soldier.
Before the march to Ma tbeaorthwes-
tern'anay.hewas ekcted a eoraoraL la
this jrrade be marched to theiebefoflleiag carried himself a prisoner baa
Fort Wayne wMca was invested by hos-
tihilaiasni These were drivenbefbre
thallutui.tr riihsswimtotheirtowasoa
tavWabash which vas eWroyei aal
awWto'tttoMkmior
T "!'.I'T.?-.
aa easica's essataW
..... - 4 -
JsJEsa waera awy
leoaarMsneat ot uaaat
wm loafer to the wB
1'waichlw -VcBasd aaj
o imasia with lb aerthi
alW.wMehhesa.
rathe lawsl nf iha Taatia-tt aiillila
oattsa itlsgwor; Man's itaw
. . t i
casters oT;l)etrasWstM
asmedto."
twoUtsWoatheRirsr
baa asxtbe ! the other oa the
'anaary. une ant ue-waoie
ly rf Indiaa warriors drawn together
aOrbe Jabe tribes for the defence of
sr Canada aaamst the aoorai
Keatirslsni.'were encMuuteied. ti
ingto the attack of this formidable force
of the fiercest and bravest and most ex-
pert warriors on the continent a strong
party of them were descried from the line
with which Ensign Butler advanced run.
ning forward to reach a fence as a cover
from which to ply their. rifles. Butler in-
stantly proposed and was permitted to an
ticipate them. Calling upon some of the
most alert sod active men of the company
he ran directly to meet the Indians at the
fence. He and his comrades outstripped
the enemy and getting possession of the
fence kept the advantage ot the position
for their advancing friends.
The close of the battle of the 18th
gave another instance in which the lead-
ing traits of Gen. Butler's character were
still more strikingly illustrated. The In-
dians driven from the defences sfound
the town on the River Raisin retired
fighting into the thick wood beyond it.
The contest of sharp-shooting from tree to
tree was here continued the Kentuck-
iaus pressing forward and the Indians re.
treating until night closed in whenths
Kenluckians were recalled to the encamp-
ment in the village. The Indians ad-
vanced as their opposers withdrew and
kept up the fire until the Kcntuckians
emerged from the woods into the open
ground. Jut as the column to which En-
sign Butler belonged reached the verge
of the dark forest the voice of a wounded
man u ho had been left some distance be.
hin I was heard calling outmost piteously
lorhelp. Butler introduced thrye of his
coTTpininin yi g.i lip ! imn t!.J woods
:.t - - - i.i L: o" If- ; rr.
vviin ninKW uriox uiniuiu iiv wasiuuiiu
andtherfoujihl their wavback one of
the men Jercmih Walker receiving a
sunt ofwhich be subsequently died.
In the second sanguinary hattie of the
Rher Raisin on the 22d of January nilh
the UrilWi and Indians annthnr act of
self-devotion was pcrlormcd by Butler.
Alter tho rout and inasacrc ot tne rigtit
Wmz beloncinz to Well's command the
uholc force of the British and Indians
was concentrated against the small body
of troops under Major Madison that main
taincd their ground within the picketed
gardens. A double barn commanding
the plot of ground on which the Kentuck-
ians stood was approached on one side
by the Indians under the cover of an or-
chard and fence the British on the one
side being so posted as to command the
space between it and the pickets. A par
ty in the rear of the barn were discovered
advancing to take possession of it. All
saw the fatal consequences of the secure
lodgement of the enemy at a place which
would present every man within the pick-
eta at close rifle-shot to the aim of their
marksmen. Maj. Madison inquired if
there was no one who would volunteer to
run the gaunlct of the fire of the British
and Indian lines and put a torch to the
combustibles within the barn to save the
remnant of the little army from sacrifice.
Butler without a moment's delay took
some blaring sticks from a fire at hand
leaped the pickets and running at his ut-
most speed thrust the fire into the straw
withtn the bam. One who was an anx-
ious spectator of the event we narrate.
says "That although volly upon Tolly
was fired at htm Butler after making
some steps on his way back turned to see
if the fire had taken and not being satis-
fied returned to the barn and set it in a
blaze." As the conflagration grew the
enemy wss seen retreating from the rear
of the building which they had entered at
one end as the flame ascended in the oth-
er. Soon after reachin? the nickers in
safety amid the shouts of his friends he
was struck by a ball in his breast. Be.
Iieving from the pain he felt that it had
penetrated his chest taming to Adjutant
(now Ireneral J Mcualta one ol his Lex-
ington comrades and passing his hand to
the spot he said u I fear this shot is mor-
tal: but while I am able to move I will
do my duty." To the anxious inquiries
ofhis friends who met him soon after-
ward again he opened his vest with a
anile and showed him that the ball had
spent itself oa the. thick wadding of his
ooaianwon ass ore ass none nesuaerea
however tor many weeks.
The little band withia the eieketa.
whfch Winchester had surrenaererj after
tVoctVs camp denied his powers. They
eoattnaedto hcMthe enetrivst rjaTaatU
they were emhlaala rrrifsteaa aoaor-
able terms whkhiwimkltsB Proetar
wkooMtaea
eBBBBSSSC
slesya-Tae'
MUfat
lwsfri mataiiii I
"If
awnefully violated by leaving the sick
saB wounded who were unable to walk.
Is the' tomahawk of his allies. Butler
Sowas amorlg the few of the wounded
who escaped the massacre was marched
uVnrajh Canada to Fort Niagara stifler.
snff BDder nia wound and erenr onration
'njljppiessed with grief hunger fatigue.
isjp ne inclement cold ot that desolate
rrjiiuo.
Shortly after his return from Canada
Ensign Butler was promoted to a captain.
cy isr the regiment to which he belonged.
nut as this promotion was irrrmilar. be.
log made overthe'heads of senior officers
"if regiment a captaincy was given
in the 44th a new-raised regiment.
free from parole br exchanire. in
ne insianur cniereu on acuro uuzv.
a 'a company which he nad recruited
aTNashville Tennessee. His regiment
was ordered to join General Jackson in
tho South; liut Captain Butler finding its
rnorements too tardy pushed on and
effected that hmelion with his eomnanv
alone. Gen. Call at that lime an officer
m Captain Butler s company (since Gov.
ernor of Florida) in a letter addressed to
31r. lannerol Kentucky presents as an
eye witness so graphically the share
which Captain Butler had in the cam-
paign which followed that it may well su-
persede any narrative at second hand :
"Soon after mv aDoointment in the
army of the United Stales as a lieutenant
in the fall of 1814 I was ordered to join
the company of Captain Butler of the
441a regiment ot infantry men at lash.
vilfe Tenn.when I arrived and reported
myself" I found the company under orders
to join our regiment in the South. The
march mostly throuzh an unsettled wil.
derness was conducted by Captain Butler
with tni usual promptitude and energy ;
and by forced and rapid movements wc
arrived at Fort Montgomcrythe head quar-
ters of Gen. Jackson a short distance
above the Florida line just in time to fol.
low our beloved general in his bold en-
terprise to drive the enemy from hi strong
position in a neutral territory. The van.
guard of the army destined fbr the inva.
sion of ijouisiana had made I'cntacoln
its head quatrrs and the British mw in
the Gulf of Mexico had rendezvoused in
that beautiful bay.
The penetrating sagacity of General
' Jcksvn uiscoierrd tU AmatagcofJhe.
position assumed by the itnuh inrcc
and with a decision and rncrgy n hich ne
ver faltered he resolve t to hnd hi cnenn.
even under the Hag nt a neutral pouer.
This was done by a prompt and rapid
march surprising and cutting off all the
advanced pickets until nc arrived within
gunshot of the fort at Pensacola. The
army of General Jackson was then so in.
considerable as tn render a reinforcement
of a single company commanded by such
an officer as Captain Butler an important
acquisition. And although there were
several companies of regular troops or.
dered to march from Tennessee at the
same time Capt. Butler by his extraordi-
nary energy and promptitudewas the only
one which arrived in thme to join this ex
pedition. His conpany formed a part of
the centre column ot attack at fensacola.
The street we entered was defended by a
battery in front which fired on us inces-
santly while several strong block-houses
on our flanks discharged upon us small
arms and artillery. But a gallant and
rapid charge soon carried the guns in
front and las town immediately surren
dered.
" In this fight Captain Butler led on his
company with his usual intrepidity. He
bad one officer. Lieutenant Floumoy se-
verely wounded and several non-commissioned
officers and privates killed and
wounded.
"From Pensacola after the object of
Ifie expedition was completed by another
prompt and rapid movement we arrived
la New Orleans a few weeks before the
appearance of the enemy.
44 On the 23d of December the sisnal
gun announced the approach of the enemy.
The previous night they had surprised
and captured one of our pickets; they as-
cended a bayou disembarked and had
taken possession of the left bank of the
Mississippi within six miles of New Or.
leans. The energy of every officer was
put in requisition to concentrate our forces
m time to meet the enemy. Captain But-
for was one ot the first to arrive at the
General's quarters and ask instructions.
They were received and promptly execu-
ted. Our regiment stationed on the op
posite side was transported across the
nver. All the available forces of our
army not much exceeding fifteen hundred
men were concentrated in the city and
while the sod went down the line of bat
tle was formed and every officer took the
station assigned him in the fight. The
iafantry formed on the open square in
front of the Cathedral waiting in anxious
expectation tbr the order tb more. Dur-
ing the raometaaiy pants while the ene-
ny was expected to enter the city a scene
ot c
deep aad thriHuut interest was preset)
ted. Every gallery porch and window
around the square were filled with the
sairfis9aoflssssryasieisaiierysnd
sjarm warns; laeir
the gallant and devoted band which
stood before them prepared to die or de-
fend them from the rude intrusion of a
foreign soldiery. It was a scene cnlcu-
Itted to awaken emotions never to be for
gotten. It appealed to the chivalry and
patriotism of every officer and soldier it
inspired every heart and nerved every
arm for battle. From this impressive
scene the army marched to meet the ene-
my and about eight o'clock at night they
were surprised in their encampment im
mediately on the banks ofthe -Mississippi.
Undiscovered our line was lurrned in
silence within a short distance of the en.
emy. A rapid charge was made into
their camp and a desperate conflict en.
sued. Alter a determined resistance the
enemy save war but disputing every inch
of ground we gained. lathe heat ofthe
battle. Captain Butler as the senior officer
present assumed command of the rrgi.
ment and led it on most gallantly to re.
peated and successful charges until the
tight ended in the complete rout ofthe en.
cmy. We were still pressing on their
rear when an officer ofthe general's staff
rode up and ordered the pursuit discon
tinued. Captain Butler urged its con-
tinuance and expressed the confident be.
lief of his ability tn take many prisoners
if permitted to advance. But the order
was promptly repeated under the well
founded apprehension that our troops
might come in collision with each other
an event which had unhappily occurred at
a previous hour of the fight. No corps
on that field was more bravely led to bat-
tle than the regiment commanded by
Captain Butler; and no officer of any
rank save the commander-in-chief was
entitled to higher credit fur the achieve-
ment of that glorious night.
" A short time before the battle of the
8lh of January Captain Butler was de
tailed to command the guard in front of
the encampment A house standing near
the bridge in advance of his position
had been taken possession of by the light
troops of the enemy from wriencc they
annoyed our guard. Captain Butler dc-
terttuned to dislodge them and burn the
house. He accordingly marched to the
attack at the head of his command but
the enemy retired before him. Seeing
them retreat he halted his guard and ad-
vanced himself" accompanied by two or
three -nam only for the purpoi of bum-
mg-tne bouse. It was an old frame build-
ing nra'her-boanlcd without ceilintr'br
plaster in the inside with a single door
opening to Ihc British ramp. On enter
ing the house he fiiund a soldier of the
enemy concealed in one corner whom he
captured and sent to the rear with his
men. remaining alone in th house.-
While he was in the act of kindling a fire
a detachment of the enemy unperceived
occupied the only door. The first impulse
was to force with his single arm n pas-
sage through them but he was instantly
seized in a violent manner by two or three
stout fellows who pushed him back
against the wall with such a force as to
burst oft the weather-boarding from the
wall and he fell through the opening thus
made. In an instant he recovered him.
self and under a heavy fire from the ene.
my he retreated until supported by the
guard which he immediately led on to the
attack drove the British light troops from
their strong position and burnt the house
in the presence ot the tn o armies.
I witnessed on that field many deeds
of daring courage but none of which
more excited my admiration than this.
TTantain Butler was soon after in the
battle cflhe 8th of January where he
sustained his previously high and well
earned reputation for bravery and useful
ness. But that battle which from its im-
portant results has eclipsed those which
proceeded it was but a slaughter of the
enemy with trivial loss oa our part and
presenting few instances of individual dis
tinction.
"Captain Butler received the brevet
rank of major fbr his gallant services dur-
ing that eventful campaign and the re.
ward of merit was never more worthily
bestowed boon after the close of war
hewas appointed aid-de-camp to General
Jackson in which station he remained
until he retired from the army. Since
that period I have seldom had the pit
ure of meeting with my valued friend and
companion in arms and I know but little
of his career in civil life. But in camp
hu elevated principles his intelligence
and generous feelings won fbr him the re-
spect and confidence of all who knew him;
and where he is best known I will yen.
hire to say he is still most highly appre-
ciate'! for every attribute which constitutes
the gentleman and the soldier.
"1 am sir very respectfully
R.K.CALL.
General Jackson's sense of the ser
vices of Butler in this memorable cam.
paign was strongly expressed in the fol-
lowing letter to a member of the Ken-
tacJry Leasktare:
"Hbyjougc Feb. SO 1844.
"Mr Drib 8a: Ton ask me ta sire
Ton my opinion of the military services
ofthe tbea Captain now Oiloael William
a Batter; of Keatocky duriag thtf avtarstb occopMtoeaterWstssrai.
veafcaeatof NeOtfceas Ivy the bWastrfghx. Tbe iapwtsatityof ajialTfjiiiwt.
in 1811 and 1815. I wish I had
cient ttrciigih tn speak fully of the
and services of Colonel Butler a
occauon ; this strength I have i
Suffice it to say. that on all
dispiaveM that heroic ehiralrr and i
ness of judgment m the midst of danger
which distinguish the valuable officer bt
tne now of battle. la a tuiiitisiauus
manner were those noble qualities dis-
played by him oa the night of the 23d of
December 1814 aad oa the 8th of Jan-
uary 1815 as well as at all times durmf
tne presence ot tne rJnluti army at New
Orleans. In short he was to be found at
all points where doty called. I hazard
noAimgim$ajiMgUuttknidmrcamlrf
again he engaged ta anr during lie e
irte age of Colonel Batter he ssonU ssl
imeof Ihertryheal.Mlocticmi Oat eoaU
be made to ctmwumd oar sjsml and least
the eaglet of oar coeatry oa to riefery
andrenom. He bustaSciej energy to
asume all responsibuity nrressiry to sac
cess and fbr his country's good.
"JUSUKKW JACKSON."
General Jackson gave earlier proof of
the high estimation in which he heU lbs
young soldier who had identified himself
with hU own glory at New Orleans. Ha
made him his aid-de-camp in 181S which
station he retained on the peace establish-
ment with tlienmk of colooeL Box bee
his uustrious patron he soon felt that mil-
ittrr ititinn and rliirtinrlionbil an i hiiaai
for him whn tmattended with the dan-
gers duties and patriotic achievements of
war. He resigned therefore evea the as-
spciation with his veteran chief of which'
he was so proud and retired in 1817 to
private life. ' He resumed his stany ofthe
profession that was interrupted by the
war married and settled down oa his pat-
rimonial possession at the confluence of
the Kentucky and Ohio rivers in the noise
less but arduous vocations of cnil life
The abode which he had chosen made it
peculiaiysowithhim. The region around
him was wild and romantic sparsely set-
tled and by pastoral people.
in irra miusi oi uus region m April
1791 William O. Butler was born ia Jes
samine county on the Kentucky river.
His father bad'oiarried in Lexington soon
after his arrival in Kentucky 1762 Miss
Hawkins a sister-in-law ofCoIonel Todd
who commanded and perished in the bat.
tie of the Bine 'Licks. FoDowimr the
instmcu of his familv.wii'ich seemed ever
to court danger. General Pierce Bauer
as neighborhood encroached around him
removed not long after the birth of hi
son William to the mouth of the Keatocky
river. Through this section the Indian
SKT-path into the heart of Kentucky pass-
ed. Uutil the peace of 1794 there was
scarcely a day that some hostile savage
did not prowl through the tangled forests.
General Pierce Butler had on one side of
him the Ohio on the further shore of
which the savage hordes still held the
mastery and on the other the rornaatic
region through which they hunted and
pressed their warenterprises. And here
amid the scenes of border warfare his
son William had that spirit which has ani-
mated him through life educated by the
legends of the Indian fighting hunters of
Kentucky. -
To the feelings and taste inspired by
the peculiarites of the place and circum-
stancea adverted to may be attributed the
return of Colonel Butler to his father's
home to eater on his profession as a
lawyer. The feeling which his sincere
and sensitive nature had imbibed hero
was as strong as that of the Switter for
his bright lakes lofty nMuntains and deep
valleys. The wild sirs of the boat bora
which have resounded for so many years
from arks descending the Ohio and Ken-
tucky floating Along the Vsrrentaadre.
cumng in echoes from the hollows of tho
hills like its eddies became as dear to
him as the famous Rasa de Vacbetotbo
native of Saitxerlaad. We insert ta
characteristic alike of the poetical lileai
and temperament of Butler some verses
wfuch the sound of this rude iai
evoked when he returned homer
with rapture "the earniercinsT me
spirit-stirring drum" far the wooden bora;
which can crjy cornpass in its sirryhi
melody such airs as that to which Borae
nas setnis neaunnu i
- WVa wsrt sradlr ahet ass Uses.
Asi testis seamiisi alss.;
wV sssar a flat Whs fcOstltss
Animenjnmiltmmaanlngi
I hit ua risss aai Musi ids."
The music of this sons: made the bonl
ofthe "Boatman's Hon" aad always
announced the" approaching ark to the
river villages. (See "The Boat Hon''
inside.)
This retirement which mar almost bo-
considered seclusion wis enjoyed py
Colonel Butkr nearly twenry-ilve 'years
when be was caDedout by the Deraocrat-
ic party ta redeem by his DeroasJr.
larity the Cgressiottal district ia white
he bred. It was suupuaej "that BO sae
else could save it torn the Whin. Like
alltherensfhbaway.'aesJaVwbtsB
had made their agitaryservioaaMrajort
to the honors s.emosaesesassTciyasi.
tJooshewasaversstonabbtbeQsb.
i
JUil
t
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The Texas Union.(San Augustine, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 41, Ed. 1, Saturday, July 15, 1848, newspaper, July 15, 1848; San Augustine, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth80195/m1/1/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.