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

[620] which did not succeed because it failed to be a surprise. Had it not been for the escape of the condemned murderer who gave information that the expedition was in progress, and had it not been for the unwise clemency of the President, of which I have spoken before, in interfering with his execution, the surprise would doubtless have been complete.

I tried to get that murderer sent to me in exchange for any Confederate the rebels desired me to give, but they, knowing his service to them, always took care of him, and smuggled him to New York to vote the Democratic ticket for them. As the man's pardon was in the direct line of my argument with Mr. Lincoln upon the uselessness of his pardons, I addressed confidentially a note to him explaining all that he had lost by his clemency to this wretch.

Upon looking into the reports of Brig.-Gen. Eppa Hunton, who commanded the Confederate forces in Richmond, I find that he was thoroughly puzzled to learn

Gen. Godfrey Weitzel

what we were up there for, and why if we intended to assault the city we did not do it with more vigor than by a mere reconnoissance of cavalry. We had learned that there was but half a company of artillerymen at Bottom's Bridge, and that there were no forces between Bottom's Bridge and Capitol Square in Richmond, for in less than a week previous trusty men had traversed that road.

It will be observed that General Wistar speaks of ulterior and “specific” objects. He was well instructed in them. The first and most important was to release the large number of prisoners there, who would have made a very great addition to our force; and the second was to capture the Confederate Cabinet and Mr. Jefferson Davis.