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

A court-martial was held on Parker, presided over by Admiral Farragut, which found him guilty of cowardice, and he was sentenced to be dismissed from service. This sentence was changed to a lighter punishment by Gideon Welles, who thought cowardice excusable.

Dutch Gap has since been dredged out, and is the main channel of commerce between Richmond and the outer world. The waters of James River being diverted by the canal no longer flow around at any depth through Trent's Reach, and that which was the former channel of the river will soon, if it has not already, become marsh land.

Dutch Gap Canal is the only military construction of all that were done by the army which remains of use to the country in time of peace, a monument to its projector and constructor, one of “Butler's failures.”

In October 28, 1864, all was quiet on the James, and as I desired to examine some statute law and some books on international law in order to deal with the argument of Mr. Ould, the Confederate Commissioner of Exchange, that international law governed the right of the capturing party to return prisoners of war into slavery, I started for Fortress Monroe on my headquarters boat, with a couple of my staff officers, and boat's crew, and orderlies. I stopped at City Point and called on General Grant. He welcomed me cordially.

“Are you going to do anything for a day or two?” I said.

“Not that I know of,” said he.

“I want to go down to Fortress Monroe,” said I, “and consult some books, and I am on my way there with your permission.”

“Why, General,” said he, “that is in your department, and you have a right to go anywhere in your department with or without my permission.”

“But not without your knowledge, General.”

I went down the river, and within three hours was at the fort. I spent some days there, in the routine business of the department, and in other duties. Late in the day of November 1st the telegraph operator came in and handed me a cipher despatch which he had just received, saying “This message was directed to your headquarters in the field, but knowing that you were here I brought it to you ”