Benjamnin F. Butler, Butler's Book: Autobiography and Personal Reminiscences of Major-General Benjamin Butler

[222] of both armies, more especially in the delay in the discharge of the mine at Petersburg, which caused the loss of some thousands of brave soldiers, and in the delays of Early, which lost him Washington in the summer of 1864.

Within a few days preceding Sunday, the 5th day of May, I was called to Washington upon two occasions, each of which fortuitously resulted in a consultation with General Scott.

On the first of these occasions I reached Washington quite early in the morning, and as I could not see General Scott until eleven o'clock, I called upon the Secretary of the Treasury, Mr. Chase, at his office in the department. I found him busily engaged in studying a map of Virginia in company with Major McDowell. Chase said to me :--

“Look here, General, I want your attention to this matter,” pointing to the map. “Here is Manassas Junction, where there is the junction of the system of railroads which must bring the rebels together to make an attack upon Washington. I think that junction should be taken and held by us.”

After studying the matter carefully for some little time, I said:--

“Yes, I think there is the spot which should be fortified and held in order to protect Washington. The Confederates are now assembled at Harper's Ferry. Their plan was to come down from Harper's Ferry to the Relay House and take Washington from that side; but as Maryland will not declare for secession I feel very sure the other point of which they will take possession will be Manassas Junction. They will not do that immediately, but will wait until the vote by the people is taken by Virginia to secede, which is fixed to be on the 23d. General Scott, being a Virginian, I know is very anxious not to move on her sacred soil until after that vote. But the rebel government is now coming to Richmond as the capital of the Confederacy, so certain are they of the result of the vote of the people. If they can invade Virginia on their part, I do not see why we may not enter the State on the other. I think we should march to Manassas Junction. Six regiments will be enough to hold it. They could easily be spared from Washington, for they are there now only to defend Washington, and at Manassas Junction they would be defending her all the more surely. For no ”