Show I C r SILVER SPOON BEN BUTLER Because Mme Hatch Would Not Take Oath of Allegiance Her Silverware Was Confiscated A great mystery has existed for tor many nany years over the way the late Gen Benjamin F. F Butler secured the name of Silver Spoon Butler The charge has ms been heen spread broadcast that when General Butler was in command at New Orleans during the Civil war ar he confiscated the silverware ware of a resident resident resi resi- dent of that city and Indeed the cartoonists cartoonists car- car often orten pictured him walking about with silver spoons sticking sUcking out of his pockets especially during the generals general's memorable political cam- cam But the suggestions always have lave lacked specifications I was mustered mus mus- ered Into the Eighth Vermont In to 1862 The regiment was shipped under sealed orders and landed at Ship island The regiment was under the command of General Butler and led from Crom rom the Gulf of Mexico up the Mississippi Mississippi Mississippi Mis Mis- river by Admiral Farragut's fleet leet and was engaged in hard fightIng fighting fight- fight Ing ng at Forts Jackson and St. St Phillip It t then engaged in the attack on the city of New Orleans which was cap- cap After remaining In the city three weeks my regiment was ordered to o Algiers on the opposite side of the Mississippi In October a detachment from rom several companies were ordered to o the small town of Gretna It was there here th that t the incident that led to the revelation of the silver spoons and General Butler began One day I decided decided de de- to have some oranges There was a plenty of them in the vicinity 1 walked a short distance from camp and knocked at the door of a mansion In n answer a French creole appeared and said she was mistress of the mansion I asked her if I could have havea a few oranges She said Yes She brought rought me a chair to the porch for forme forme forme me to sit on A negro brought a pan of oranges and placed them on the porch I helped myself writes L. L j. j W. W Bissell Eighth Vermont of Lynn Mass 1 in the National Tribune After I had eaten all I wanted the theady lady ady Mme Hatch ordered another pan of oranges brought and told me meo meto meto to o corns conic every day Before I left Mme Hatch showed me her poultry and lambs ambs and said they were what her husband who was a colonel In the Confederate army lived on and that she sent him some whenever she thought that he was hungry I was given charge of a sugar plantation plantation plan- plan tation some distance from camp which the he government had taken With a comrade John A. A Hamard of the Twenty-sixth Twenty Massachusetts I had to togo togo togo go out to this plantation one day It e I e Ordered Another Pan of Oranges Brought was vas very warm and I decided to stop at Mme Hal Hatchs Hatch's ch's and get some saddle horses She loaned us the horses and when we returned them she would accept no pay She spread the table and got us something to eat She did such kindness to many Union soldiers soldiers sol sol sol- diers and nursed some who were sick In her own home General Butler DutlEr passed a decree that all persons of eighteen years of at age should come to his headquarters and take the oath of ot allegiance to the United States When it came the turn of Mme Hatch she told him sho was Mme Hatch and absolutely refused to take the oath declaring she would I Idie die first General Butler then de do- declared declared that her silverware should be beI I Glared confiscated lie He ordered Major major Strong his chief of ot staff start to see that the order Vas was carried out The major went to the tho mansion of Mme Hatch and In response to his command she brought out her silver plate and a largo large quantity quantity quantity quan quan- of silver spoons Ho left the rest and took the spoons For her kindness to Union soldiers Mme Hatch had bad become very popular among our boys and when the spoon affair and the story of oC Mme Hatchs Hatch's experience with General Butler Dutler became became became be be- came known be he was called Silver Spoon Butler Dutler throughout the army thereafter |