Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Brigadier-General Benjamin F. Butler to Sarah Hildreth Butler, April 28, 1861

April 28th, Annapolis Headquarters, Department of Annapolis

DEAR SARAH: I am ordered by the War Department to take command of this department of Maryland. A high honor never yet conferred upon a Militia Genl. who had seen no service. We have won.

I have a very excellent house here, well furnished, a good corps of servants, and am keeping house. Shall be here some months. Harriet1 has come. I have sent for Blanche. She will be with me tonight and wait your coming. You had better come on yourself. I shall detain Harriet a day or two as housekeeper. Shut up the house and come on. Bring Gilman.2 You can send the children over to Dracut or to the salt water with Lote.3 Bring nothing but your table service of silver. The horses had better be turned out to pasture except Charly for the farm. Burley4 had better move in to kitchen. Bring summer clothes as weather is warm. Love to all in great haste. If you do not like this do not execute it. I am so in the habit of giving orders lately that I write in a peremptory style. All our people are well and have behaved gloriously. (You may put this last in the newspapers — it will relieve all men’s minds.)

Yours respectfully,
B. F. BUTLER.
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1 Harriet Hildreth Heard, sister of Mrs. Butler.
2 Gilman Jones, family coachman.
3 Laura Wright Hildreth, sister of Mrs. Butler.
4 Burley, the gardener.

SOURCE: Jessie Ames Marshall, Editor, Private and Official Correspondence of Gen. Benjamin F. Butler During the Period of the Civil War, Volume 1: April 1860 – June 1862, p. 52-3

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