94 BUTLER. BUTLER. which met in Charleston, S. C. When a portion of the delegates re-assembled at Baltimore, he declined to participate fur- ther in their deliberations, first on the ground that the body of delegates was not competent, and secondly, because he refused to sit in convention where the African slave-trade was approvingly advocated. In April, 1S61, when President Lincoln called for troops, he held the position of brigadier-general of militia. On the 17th of that month he marched to Annapolis with the 8th Massachusetts regiment, and was placed in command of the district of Annapolis, which included the city of Bal- timore. On the 13th of May, 1S61, he entered Baltimore, occupied the city with- out opposition, and on May 16th was made a major-general, and assigned to the com- mand of Fortress Monroe and the depart- ment of eastern Virginia. Here he refused to return to their masters some slaves who had come within his lines, declaring them to be "contraband of war." Hence arose the designation of "Contraband." In August he captured forts Hatteras and Clark on the coast of North Carolina. He then returned to Massachusetts to recruit an expedition for the Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi. He took possession of the city of New Orleans May 1, 1S62. His administration was marked by great vigor. He instituted strict sanitary regulations, armed the free colored men, and compelled rich secessionists to contribute toward the support of the poor of the city. The seeming severity of his policy, although inspired by his unflinching patriotism, ex- cited strong resentment among those who were too far removed from the scene of action to understand the situation. It is worthy of notice that during the adminis- tration of General Butler at New Orleans, disbursing millions of dollars, under cir- cumstances that brought unavoidable com- plications, it was found that not one penny had been paid out but had its competent voucher, and his accounts, audited by the finest experts in Washington, were declared correct in every detail. December 16, 1862, General Butler was recalled, and near the close of 1863 was I'll' ed in command of the department of Virginia and North Carolina. His force was designated as the army of the James. • i' tober, 1864, he was sent to New York with a force to insure a quiet election. In December he conducted an expedition against Fort Fisher near Wilmington, N. C, and soon afterward was removed from command by General Grant. In 1S66 he was elected by the Republi- cans a member of Congress, where he re- mained till 1879, with the exception of one term, 1875-77. In 1S6S he was chief manager for the House in the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson. He was the unsuccessful Republican nominee for governor of Massa- chusetts in 187 1, and in 1S78 and '79 was the candidate of the Independent Green- back party, and one wing of the Democrats, for the same office, but was again defeated. In 1S82 the Democrats united upon him as their candidate, and he was elected, though the rest of the state ticket was de- feated. During his administration he insti- tuted some sweeping reforms, and brought charges of gross mismanagement against some public institutions. In 1S83 he was renominated, but was defeated. In 1884 he was the candidate of the Greenback party and Anti-Monopolist party for the presidency. General Butler now resides in Lowell, where asacitizen he is much beloved. While his professional labors are herculean, and his varied manufacturing interests are not neglected, he still finds time for deeds of charity, and for making himself better ac- quainted with the needs of the unfortunate and oppressed. BUTLER, JOHN HASKELL, son of John and Mary J. (Barker) Butler, was born in Middleton, Essex county, August 31, 1841. He obtained his early educational train- ing in the district schools of Groton and Shirley, high school, Shirley, and Lawrence Academy, Groton, where he fitted for Yale. He was graduated from this college in the class of 1863. He chose the profession of law and prosecuted his legal studies with Griffin & Stearns, Charlestown. He was admitted to the bar at Cambridge, in Octo- ber, 1868. His first business connection was with John Q. A. Griffin, and William S.Stearns, with whom he had studied, and in October, 1868, he formed a co-partnership with William S. Stearns, under the firm name of Stearns & Butler. This co-partnership has continued uninterrupted to the present time. Mr. Butler was married in Pittston, Pa., January 1, 1870, to Laura L., daughter of Jabez B. and Mary (Ford) Bull. Of this union is one child : John Lawton Butler, born July 10, 1871. Mr. Butler was member of the House of Representatives 18S0 and '81 ; was elected by the Legislature of 1884 as member of executive council for the 3d councilor dis-
