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I have the disk set for the Official Records. Indiscriminately picking a volume I landed on Series 1, Volume 15 and began reading. I soon came upon the Baton Rouge attack by General Breckenridge against General Williams' forces that were convalescing there. The attack occurred in the early morning hours of August 6 and lasted 4 hours before the confederates retreated. Due to exhaustion and illness the Union soldiers did not pursue, also due to their General being shot in the contest toward the end and expiring.
These men were under General Butler in New Orleans, who sent then Lieutenant Weitzel, Chief of Engineers to inspect the battlefield and offer support, as it had been requested earlier on the 6th. Weitzel arrived early on the morning of the 7th, and made his report later that afternoon toward evening, after gathering intelligence of the battle, seeing to the burying of the dead on the field etc. This was the battle that the gunboat Essex blew up the confederate ram Arkansas. One of his communications to General Butler can be found on page 53 that I found intriguing and was curious as to the intentions of his statement about the small village of Baton Rouge.
[page 53, Volume 15, Series 1]- "The difficulty about burning this town is there is a large orphan asylum and a tremendous insane asylum, both of which humanity forbids us to destroy."
This one sentence was in its own paragraph with no relating context to any part of the communication, here or otherwise that I could find. Knowing that General Butler was in command under Halleck and Stanton in Washington, and communications existed between these men due to the 7th Vermont's reputation during the battle, I was dumbfounded to understand them alluding to some talk this early in the war toward such method. I believe it was kept within Butler's staff circle from whence Weitzel was sent, and something must have been mentioned for this statement out of context to all, to be made back to General Butler.
I am not posting this to cause debate but seek a balanced approach for understanding how early these seeds of revenge were sown. Butler was known to overstep the line and extend it further in Baltimore and in Hampton, Va. Is this something we should keep an eye on discussing his rule in New Orleans, and whether the Washington authorities knew and forbid, or condone by turning their head?
Lubliner.
[edited to correct the page #]
These men were under General Butler in New Orleans, who sent then Lieutenant Weitzel, Chief of Engineers to inspect the battlefield and offer support, as it had been requested earlier on the 6th. Weitzel arrived early on the morning of the 7th, and made his report later that afternoon toward evening, after gathering intelligence of the battle, seeing to the burying of the dead on the field etc. This was the battle that the gunboat Essex blew up the confederate ram Arkansas. One of his communications to General Butler can be found on page 53 that I found intriguing and was curious as to the intentions of his statement about the small village of Baton Rouge.
[page 53, Volume 15, Series 1]- "The difficulty about burning this town is there is a large orphan asylum and a tremendous insane asylum, both of which humanity forbids us to destroy."
This one sentence was in its own paragraph with no relating context to any part of the communication, here or otherwise that I could find. Knowing that General Butler was in command under Halleck and Stanton in Washington, and communications existed between these men due to the 7th Vermont's reputation during the battle, I was dumbfounded to understand them alluding to some talk this early in the war toward such method. I believe it was kept within Butler's staff circle from whence Weitzel was sent, and something must have been mentioned for this statement out of context to all, to be made back to General Butler.
I am not posting this to cause debate but seek a balanced approach for understanding how early these seeds of revenge were sown. Butler was known to overstep the line and extend it further in Baltimore and in Hampton, Va. Is this something we should keep an eye on discussing his rule in New Orleans, and whether the Washington authorities knew and forbid, or condone by turning their head?
Lubliner.
[edited to correct the page #]
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