Talk:Benjamin Franklin Butler (politician)

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Contents 1 First MG? 2 Able Politician 3 Curious about this.. 4 Contraband 5 Party switch?

[edit] First MG?

"Lincoln appointed him the first major general of U.S. Volunteers, ranking from May 16, 1861."

John A. Dix was also appointed major general U.S.V. on May 16, 1861.

I'll have to check my sources, but this isn't necessarily a contradiction. Multiple men can be promoted on the same day, but the order of the names on the list establishes seniority. Hal Jespersen 15:24, 9 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Able Politician

Although Butler was an indifferent to bad general, his political skills were first rate. I believe the article lessens the impact of the term "contraband" and how it crippled the Confederate war effort by providing a legal justification for keeping slaves out of their owners' hands. GABaker 17:14, 21 April 2006 [UTC]

[edit] Curious about this..

I once read a biography that was generally exculpatory of Bulter, called Lincoln's Scapegoat General. As best I recall, it claimed that Butler was set up to be knocked down by Lincoln in both New Orleans and at Petersburg. Is this still a legitimate view of Butler?

That is certainly not the mainstream view. Butler's results in N.O. are directly related to his own conduct; what did Lincoln do to affect it? As for Petersburg, by which I suppose you mean Bermuda Hundred, Grant didn't want Butler in command and Lincoln forced him to take him. Doesn't seem likely that Lincon wanted a failure at that point in his reelection campaign. Hal Jespersen 17:55, 11 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Contraband

This article says that Butler refused to return fugative slaves, arguing that they were "contraband", and thus able to be seized. Given his role as a Radical-Republican congressman, and his support for the Civil Rights Act of 1871 and especially for the Civil Rights Act of 1875, it seems reasonable to assume that this anti-slavery figure was simply trying (1) to get around the Fugative Slave Act and (2) to use all available labor in order to beat the slave-holding South, (after all, white notherners were drafted en masse. Is this assumption correct? If you're a Butler specialist, please address this. If no one steps forward, I'll add something to the article to this effect. --Zantastik talk 04:45, 30 October 2006 (UTC)

Actually, it seems that I've answered my own question -- see Contraband (American Civil War). --Zantastik talk 04:53, 30 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Party switch?

In Butler's political biography, he was a Democrat before the war, a Republican in Congress during the 60s and 70s, and then, by 1878, a Democrat again. The second party switch is not explained in the article -- anyone have any background? --Jfruh (talk) 21:56, 10 December 2006 (UTC)