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VP Beast Butler?
12-03-2014, 12:44 AM
Post: #21
RE: VP Beast Butler?
Yes, I fully agree that we can learn from slurs and accusations in the past, false or proven. I was urging that we do just that by examining them against the historical evidence.

Butler was very controversial, primarily because he was ahead of others in the Union in realizing, first, that slavery was the South's most vulnerable point and, second, that the Union army had to take the gloves off. His order in May 1861 that slaves of rebels were to be considered "contraband of war" was a pivotal turning point early in the war. It led to the first Confiscation Act, and eventually to Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. Adam Goodheart did a fine brief piece on Butler's decision that May. As he makes clear, Butler was no abolitionist, but he made a pragmatic, and rather ingenious, decision to treat runaway slaves as "contraband," which permitted confiscation and allowed him to refuse returning the slaves to their masters.
Goodheart on Butler: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/03/magazi...War-t.html

The Woman Order, a year later, set off a storm of controversy North, South, and abroad. Women were supposed to be kept out of war, and the order was not only an insult to women of New Orleans. It was an invitation to ravage and abuse southern womanhood, so critics would have it anyway. New Orleans was a vital prize and Butler imposed martial law, which allowed Union forces to subjugate a rebellious population by taking matters outside the normal process of justice. Men caught abusing Union soldiers were treated to pretty rough justice, as one would imagine under martial law. But women felt they were protected by the traditions of chivalry toward women and they apparently took advantage of that propriety--at least until Butler's woman order. The point I was trying to make was that the order was not enforced, that is there was no widespread abuse of women in New Orleans. Most were probably intimidated by the order. Butler's order was provocative not because it led to actual physical abuse of women, but because it was an insult and threat to the white women of New Orleans.

Shocking things happen in wars! I think the more interesting point, which Stephanie McCurry makes in her book, Confederate Reckoning, is that women, instead of being kept out of war, were exposed to it, and more precisely they were inserting themselves into it by bold and risky acts of protest. OK chamber pots and spit rather than guns and knives, but aggressive acts by any measure.

"Beast Butler" was a godsend to the CSA, the perfect villain, luring slaves to rebel and defiling southern womanhood, all in the stroke of his pen. Jefferson Davis probably thought it was wise to play to public indignation against Butler in calling for his summary execution at the end of 1862, but he coupled this with virtually the same threat against black Union soldiers and their white officers, and that backfired insofar as it reminded people that Butler's gravest offense to the South was not what he threatened to do to the ladies of New Orleans, but what he actually did for runaway slaves.

Don H. Doyle, author of The Cause of All Nations: An International History of America's Civil War, Basic Books. https://www.facebook.com/causeofallnations
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Messages In This Thread
VP Beast Butler? - L Verge - 10-21-2014, 03:14 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - RJNorton - 10-22-2014, 05:55 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - LincolnToddFan - 10-22-2014, 09:03 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - J. Beckert - 10-22-2014, 12:34 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Gene C - 10-22-2014, 02:34 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Don1946 - 12-02-2014, 12:33 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - L Verge - 10-22-2014, 08:13 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Eva Elisabeth - 10-23-2014, 05:39 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Hess1865 - 10-23-2014, 08:10 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-02-2014, 07:50 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Wild Bill - 12-02-2014, 08:43 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Don1946 - 12-02-2014, 10:48 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - BettyO - 12-02-2014, 08:50 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Wild Bill - 12-02-2014, 12:23 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Gene C - 12-02-2014, 01:04 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Gene C - 12-03-2014, 06:04 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - DanielC - 12-27-2014, 04:36 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Wild Bill - 12-02-2014, 01:22 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-02-2014, 01:42 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - BettyO - 12-02-2014, 01:49 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Don1946 - 12-02-2014, 06:33 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - L Verge - 12-02-2014, 08:46 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Don1946 - 12-03-2014 12:44 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-03-2014, 08:10 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Don1946 - 12-03-2014, 09:54 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-03-2014, 11:12 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Rick Smith - 12-03-2014, 12:29 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - L Verge - 12-03-2014, 11:34 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Wild Bill - 12-03-2014, 12:41 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Don1946 - 12-03-2014, 03:06 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-03-2014, 02:05 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Wild Bill - 12-03-2014, 03:20 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-03-2014, 05:01 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Wild Bill - 12-03-2014, 07:01 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Gene C - 12-03-2014, 07:51 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - L Verge - 12-03-2014, 08:01 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - DanielC - 12-06-2014, 09:25 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Wild Bill - 12-03-2014, 08:20 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Gene C - 12-03-2014, 08:41 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-04-2014, 07:13 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Eva Elisabeth - 12-04-2014, 09:13 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - L Verge - 12-04-2014, 10:05 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Don1946 - 12-05-2014, 06:16 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Wild Bill - 12-05-2014, 08:10 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - L Verge - 12-06-2014, 01:36 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Hess1865 - 12-05-2014, 11:22 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - RJNorton - 12-06-2014, 09:35 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - DanielC - 12-10-2014, 09:14 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Jim Garrett - 12-12-2014, 09:06 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Don1946 - 12-15-2014, 11:38 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Jim Garrett - 12-15-2014, 09:38 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Wild Bill - 12-12-2014, 11:39 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Jim Garrett - 12-13-2014, 09:17 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-15-2014, 11:47 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Gene C - 12-15-2014, 12:02 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Wild Bill - 12-15-2014, 12:49 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Gene C - 12-15-2014, 01:26 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-15-2014, 01:41 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Don1946 - 12-15-2014, 02:09 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Wild Bill - 12-15-2014, 03:31 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - L Verge - 12-15-2014, 03:50 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Gene C - 12-15-2014, 04:02 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Rick Smith - 12-15-2014, 04:37 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Don1946 - 12-17-2014, 02:04 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - RJNorton - 12-17-2014, 03:09 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Eva Elisabeth - 12-17-2014, 03:52 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Rick Smith - 12-17-2014, 03:59 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-15-2014, 05:58 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-16-2014, 07:57 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Linda Anderson - 12-16-2014, 03:31 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Jim Garrett - 12-16-2014, 04:39 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-16-2014, 05:48 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Linda Anderson - 12-16-2014, 06:11 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-16-2014, 07:34 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Jim Garrett - 12-16-2014, 08:32 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Linda Anderson - 12-16-2014, 09:23 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Rsmyth - 12-17-2014, 02:26 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Don1946 - 12-17-2014, 02:48 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Thomas Thorne - 12-21-2014, 11:34 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Gene C - 12-17-2014, 02:52 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Don1946 - 12-17-2014, 03:30 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Gene C - 12-17-2014, 03:55 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Jim Garrett - 12-17-2014, 03:33 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Wild Bill - 12-17-2014, 04:32 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - L Verge - 12-17-2014, 05:08 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Linda Anderson - 12-17-2014, 07:11 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Don1946 - 12-17-2014, 04:48 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Rsmyth - 12-17-2014, 05:02 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Wild Bill - 12-17-2014, 05:37 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Gene C - 12-17-2014, 06:34 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Wild Bill - 12-17-2014, 06:52 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-17-2014, 07:32 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - L Verge - 12-21-2014, 11:42 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-21-2014, 01:35 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Thomas Thorne - 12-21-2014, 02:38 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - L Verge - 12-21-2014, 04:23 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-21-2014, 04:32 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Wild Bill - 12-21-2014, 06:15 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-21-2014, 07:06 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Wild Bill - 12-21-2014, 07:39 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Thomas Thorne - 12-22-2014, 01:32 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - RJNorton - 12-22-2014, 06:02 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-22-2014, 08:02 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - RJNorton - 12-22-2014, 11:27 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Gene C - 12-22-2014, 08:56 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - L Verge - 12-22-2014, 11:59 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Thomas Thorne - 12-23-2014, 01:34 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Wild Bill - 12-22-2014, 03:06 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Jim Garrett - 12-23-2014, 10:51 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Houmes - 12-24-2014, 05:48 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - LincolnToddFan - 12-26-2014, 12:01 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Houmes - 12-26-2014, 03:18 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - LincolnToddFan - 12-23-2014, 11:18 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-24-2014, 07:22 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-24-2014, 07:58 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-26-2014, 05:06 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Thomas Thorne - 12-27-2014, 12:01 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - J. Beckert - 12-27-2014, 08:54 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-27-2014, 08:13 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Wild Bill - 12-27-2014, 08:16 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-27-2014, 08:29 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Gene C - 12-27-2014, 10:18 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Wild Bill - 12-27-2014, 11:06 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-27-2014, 05:49 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - LincolnToddFan - 12-27-2014, 07:12 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - L Verge - 12-27-2014, 07:48 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Wild Bill - 12-27-2014, 09:59 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Thomas Thorne - 12-28-2014, 02:04 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Wild Bill - 12-28-2014, 01:15 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - L Verge - 12-28-2014, 01:28 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Thomas Thorne - 12-28-2014, 01:48 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - L Verge - 12-28-2014, 02:10 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Thomas Thorne - 12-28-2014, 03:12 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - LincolnToddFan - 12-28-2014, 02:28 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - L Verge - 12-28-2014, 07:25 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Hess1865 - 12-28-2014, 10:01 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-29-2014, 08:32 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Wild Bill - 12-29-2014, 10:12 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-29-2014, 10:50 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Wild Bill - 12-29-2014, 11:46 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-29-2014, 02:29 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Wild Bill - 12-29-2014, 06:04 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Gene C - 12-29-2014, 06:59 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Hess1865 - 12-29-2014, 07:07 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - RJNorton - 12-29-2014, 07:08 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - L Verge - 12-29-2014, 07:40 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Thomas Thorne - 12-30-2014, 01:26 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Gene C - 12-30-2014, 07:52 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - L Verge - 12-30-2014, 10:14 AM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - L Verge - 12-30-2014, 02:32 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 12-30-2014, 02:50 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Rick Smith - 12-30-2014, 03:13 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - L Verge - 12-30-2014, 07:38 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - Gene C - 01-01-2015, 12:30 PM
RE: VP Beast Butler? - HerbS - 01-01-2015, 03:23 PM

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