Born in New Hampshire, (which, if the truth were known, probably wouldn't want credit for him), he served in the legislature, in both houses.  He ended up being, of all thing, a criminal attorney in abolitionist Massachusetts.
 In 1860 he was a Democrat and, supposedly, supported the states rights position.  He has been charitably described as a "highly controversial, politically appointed general."  What that means, in plain English, is that he probably knew someone, somewhere, that greased the political wheels for him.  As a Democrat, he was appointed by Lincoln with the first commission as a major-general of volunteers. 

When Is Slavery Not Slavery?

While in command of the Northern Department of Virginia, a part of his forces were soundly whipped by Confederates at Big Bethel.

Shortly after that debacle, Butler continued his climb to Yankee fame by issuing a ruling that made "escaped slaves of secessionist masters of be contraband,' and thus subject to seizure and employment by the military."  In other words, escaped southern slaves could now be enslaved by the Yankees to aid in the Union war effort as long as you took care to label that enslavement as "employment."  You have to give those Yankee wordsmiths credit.  They surely do know how to denounce others for practicing what they do themselves.  For a good modern example, take a look at Clinton's "moral imperative" in Yugoslavia.  We managed to bomb a whole country into submission and ruin their infrastructure--all in the name of "humanity."  Yankee wordsmithing is still alive and well.

Butler's Yankee Charity

Shortly after the Yankee capture of New Orleans, in April of 1862, the Union forces were greeted by a naturally hostile populace.  The U.S. flag was raised over the Mint Building in New orleans.  A young man, William Mumford, climbed to the roof of the building and removed the striped banner.  For this "high crime" Butler had him jailed and then hanged.  Local leaders, including church leaders, pleaded for the life of the young man to Butler, who with typical Yankee charity, ignored their requests. 

James and Walter Kennedy, in their excellent book The South Was Right, describe Butler's major activiites while on the loose in New Orleans.  They have written: "No foreign occupier has ever been held in such contempt as Ben Butler.  During his stay in New Orleans not only did he preside over the usual debauchery of Yankeedoom, but he also issued the infamous decree that stated that any officer of the United States could and should treat the ladies of the city as if they were prostitutes 'plying their trade.'  He sent to prison, without a grand jury indictment or trial by jury, both women and leaders of the clergy because they would not accept the invaders with open arms.  He closed churches and newspapers at his will if he felt they were not loyal to the Yankee government."

Suffice it ot say, such acts made Butler a despised man in the South.  Finally, during his tenure in New Orleans, reports of financial scandal surfaced, and the smell got so bad that the Beast was removed from command in December, 1862.  However, he wasn't removed from the army.  He was, after all, a political general.  He was simply given another command in another locale, where the leadership in Washington hoped his reputation wouldn't catch up with him to quickly.

He was later removed from yet another military command for poor performance.  By this time it was 1865, and he simply resigned from the army, thus ending a military career that was "distinguished" but hardly by good works.  In five years Butler had degenerated from a "war Democrat" into a radical Republican of the Thaddeus Stevens/Charles Sumner stripe.  In 1866 he was elected to Congress.  Rather fitting, after his "military career.  The Congress of 1866 was so far to the left they made Attilla the Hun look humanitarian.  It was an excellent spot for butler. 
He was home at last!

Enter Victoria Woodhull

The name of Victoria Woodhull should also be familiar to those who have observed the downward spiral of American morals during the last half of the 19th century. 

Ms Woodhull was an advocate of "free love," which meant, broadly, that she felt it was all right for couples to live together without benefit of marriage--a practice she partook of on two occasions that are recorded for us.  According to some sympathetic (pathetic) biographers who applauded her "honesty" Ms. Woodhull advocated"...a single sexual standard for men and women, legalization of prostitution, reform of the marriage and family institutions, and 'free love'.  "Slick Willie and Janet Reno would absolutely have gotten goosebumbs over her!    Were she alive today she, no doubt, would have been appointed Surgeon General.

In 1870 Ms. Woodhull had some interesting theories on the 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution. She felt that because these amendments gave black men the right to vote, that interpretation should be extended to include white females.  We might play the devil's advocate and ask "Why not black females?"  Apparently Woodhull had no passionate concern there.  While all this is academic today, it was a political hot potato in Woodhull's day.

At a party one night, Ms. Woodhull was introduced to a congressman who sat on the House Judiciary Committee.  This was the congressional committee that ruled on all petitions requesting changes in the country's laws.  No need to tell you who this congressman was. 

As Woodhull drew the Beast aside to outline her rather unique (for that day) perception of these amendments, she discovered, to her joy, that Butler was in complete sympathy with her and the Feminist Movement.  It was fitting territory for a radical Republican.  Butler was eager to help her.  He detailed for her how she should draft a speical petition called a Memorial.  Butler even arranged for Woodhull to appear before his committee, to air her opinions.  Although the committee rejected her petition (these fellows wanted to be re-elected) it is worthy of note just how much help she obtained from the Beast to enable her to present the radical feminist viewpoint to a congressional committee.

By Their Fruits

In 1862 Butler had ordered the good women of New Orleans to be treated as prostitutes if they failed to prostitute themselves to Yankee authority.  Now, eight short years later, he comes to the aid of a "free love" advocate, helping her to air her radical views in the heart of the American Empire, Washington, D.C.

What shall we say of Beast Butler (and still be able to keep it printable)?  He was a radical revolutionary, an advocate of tainted women, while holding decent Southern women in contempt, and his "honesty" and his military record were, to say the least, less than illustrious. 

Beast Butler was the typical Yankee.  Notice that I didn't just label him a Northerner, but rather a Yankee.  There is a difference.  There are many good and decent Northerners, just as there are Southerners.  However, a Yankee, whether he is born in Boston, or in Atlanta, is a whole different animal.

Butler displayed the prime requisite of the Yankee mindset-repudiate those that are honest and honourable, and consort with those that are lewd or 
of questionable reputation.  It's a problem Yankees from all parts of the country seem to share.  Behold the friends of Slick Willie!  Look at what the Yankee mindset, promoted through the government schools, has given us.  If, by now, we can't see the need for a change, then we just may deserve whatever judgement the Almighty deems fit to bestrow upon us. 

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