Ben Butler Captured by the Confederates?

Anaxagoras

Banned
The thread about Lee being captured caused me to think of what might happened if some other major figures had been captured.

Suppose that Ben Butler, a clever politician but one of the worst generals of the war, had been taken prisoner by the Southerners during the confused fighting around Bermuda Hundred in mid-1864. This question is not all that interesting in terms of how it would have affected the subsequent course of the war, but rather because it raises the question of what the Confederacy would have done with Butler.

During his stint as military governor of New Orleans, Butler had made a pretty bad name for himself. The Confederacy had issued orders for his execution in the event of his capture, due to the murder of William Mumford and his order that all women who insulted Federal troops would be treated as prostitutes.

So, if the rebels had captured Butler, would they have done what they said they would do and executed him or would they have backed down?
 

Japhy

Banned
They would probably have killed him, one cannot underestimate the stupidity of the Southern Aristocracy over issues of "honor" at the time. The question is what the Federal reaction would be. On one end Butler becomes a Martyr for the Union, honored across the land, on the other there's TheIrishKnight's option from his timeline as a Federal reaction.

Also, Mumford was tried, some murder. They truth was they wanted Butler dead for not returning their slaves. :rolleyes:
 

Japhy

Banned
It was a murder as far as the Confederates were concerned.



That's certainly true.

The point being, hell yes they'd kill him. So, does the Union retaliate? That question is really up to how you think Lincoln's mind worked.
 
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