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BENJAMIN F. BUTLER, POST WAR ALS

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Dated “Petroleum, West Va. July 28, 1866.” Addressed to: “Dear Sir” {Reverse notation: John S. Godfry]. 3 pp. in ink on lined paper, 5” x 8. Exhibits fold-marks. Else fine.

General Ben Butler was the shiftiest and most notorious political—military wheeler in either Civil War army. A pro-slavery Democrat who supported Jefferson Davis at the 1860 Democratic Convention, Davis quickly shifted allegiance the Radical Republican bloc once the war had began. Gaining credit with the Lincoln administration at the outset for leading two Massachusetts regiment to the relief of Washington, Butler further enhanced his standing by coining the phrase “Contraband of War” to cover the status of was escaped slaves fleeing to Union lines.

An inept military commander, Butler he was nonetheless a capable administrator when it suited his purposes as military governor of Louisiana based in New Orleans, while at the same taking advantage of his position in commissioning his brother to buy up confiscated Confederate property at cut rate prices. While also outraging the populace of New Orleans by issuing orders that women disrespectful of Union soldiery were to be treated at women of the street plying their trade.

Relieved from New Orleans command, Butler was installed as commander of the Department of Virginia based in Norfolk where he raked in profits condoning between the lines trading with the rebels, while at the same time earning the disdain of U.S. Grant for botching the 1864 Bermuda One Hundred Campaign. After bungling the initial Union assault on Fort Fisher [Dec. 1864], he was sent home in disgrace by Grant.

At which point, resurrected himself by returning to the U.S. House of Representatives, this time aligned with Radical Republication, on to shift political allegiances to the Democrats in the 1870s while continually running for Governor of Massachusetts, an office he finally won in 1882, and which he attempted to use as a springboard to the 1884 Presidential nomination, losing out to Grover Cleveland, against whom he hadn’t a ghost of a chance.

All the while, mixing business with politics, Butler was continually nosing out entrepreneurial opportunities of the side…as in the letter below—dated 7/28/1866—concerning a West Virginia oil well:

“Petroleum West Va…..Dear Sir, I feel five thousand better, and I shall double it if Nason’s well near the shoulder proves a success.

This is a small stream as I told you running E & W across the break, which is contrary to the rule on the Western branch. The Shaw well is on an E & W and has pumped no oil since ____.

The stream Nason’s well is on intersects the W & S, about ten rock Southy. How much deeper that may be owing to the pitch of the rock, it is impossible to say and I do not doubt that this N & S stream is the one our well is on….

If the few streams on the ___ Break produce light oil it is perhaps as well for heavy oil is slow and dull of sale.

If Nason’s will proves a success you must also do soat some depth. Everybody is sorry that this show should be on old Rutherford’s property for he is generally detested. According to Judge Christianson No. 40 is not with in the “Break” but human wisdom is vain sometimes….BFW”

An interesting post-war note from the teeming entrepreneurial mind of former Major General Butler, turned Radical Republican Congressman soon to lead the failed impeachment proceedings against President Andrew Johnson. Invites further research. In plastic sleeve.    [jp][ph:L]

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