APPENDIX. GENERAL M. JEFF. THOMPSON. THE following correspondence has recently passed between General Butler and General Jeff. Thompson of the Confederate army, now a prisoner of war. General Thompson was long General Butler's principal adversary in Louisiana, as he was in command of the largest Confederate force in the vicinity of New Orleans. General Butler having been kind enough to send me the letters, as a matter of curiosity, I have taken the liberty to consider them part of the documents relating to the Department of the Gulf. The correspondence tends to show that, when the war is over, the people of the North and the people of the South will be astonished to find what excellent and cordial friends they are, after thirty years of alienation. GENERAL THOMPSON TO GENERAL BUTLER. "DEPOT OF PRISONERS, "JOHNSON'S ISLAND, NEAR SANDUSKY, OHIO, September 28, 1863. "Major-General B. F. BUTLER, U. S. A., WASHINGTON, D. C. : "GENERAL:-About this time last year, the fortunes of war placed in my hands a Captain Thornton of your command, wounded and a prisoner of You will remember that I sent Captain Thornton on parole back to New Orleans, in your yacht. I promised Captain Thornton that, if I was ever captured, I would notify him of my whereabouts, that he might return the favors which he thought I extended to him. war. "I do not think that Captain Thornton is under any obligations to me, as I simply acted toward him as I have to all gentlemen who have been so unfortunate as to be captured by me; but, in conformity with my promise, I would like to let him know that I am here; and as I do not know his address, and understanding at the time that he was a personal friend of yours, I hope it will not be presuming to request you to forward him this letter, let me know his address, or otherwise let him know that I am at this prison, as may be most convenient or agreeable to yourself. "Yours most respectfully, "M. JEFF. THOMPSON, Brigadier-General, M. S. G.” GENERAL BUTLER TO GENERAL THOMPSON. "LOWELL, MASS., October 6, 1863. "Brigadier-General M. JEFF. THOMPSON : "GENERAL :-Your note addressed to me was received to-day. I will forward it to Captain Thornton, now on Brigadier-General Shepley's staff at New Orleans, as you request. "I retain a lively sense of the courtesy and urbanity with which you conducted operations, when in command, opposed to me in Louisiana, and desire again, as before, to thank you for your kindness to Captain Thornton in sending him home wounded, by which kindness I have no doubt his life was saved. “Although an outlaw, by the proclamation of those whom you serve, for acts which no one knows more surely than yourself were untruly reported and unjustly construed, I will endeavor to have your imprisonment lightened, or commuted, if possible. "I have, therefore, taken the liberty to forward a copy of your communication to the war department, with a note, of which the inclosed shows the contents. "Sympathizing with you that the fortune of war has made you a prisoner, yet you will pardon me when I add, that I am glad the enemies of my country are deprived of the services of so effective an officer. "Respectfully, your obedient servant, GENERAL BUTLER TO THE OFFICER COMMANDING AT JOHNSON'S ISLAND. "LOWELL, MASS., October 6, 1863. “To the Officer Commanding Dépôt of Prisoners, at Johnson's Island, near Sandusky, Ohio: "SIR:-Inclosed please find an unsealed note, to General M. Jeff. Thompson, now, as I am informed, a prisoner under your charge. If not inconsistent with the regulations of your dépôt, please deliver it. You will read it, if agreeable to you, and will learn therefrom, that General Thompson showed great kindness to wounded officers and soldiers that fell into his hands; and I beg leave to bespeak for him all the indulgence and liberty which can be shown him consistently with your discipline. “Please inform me if General Thompson is destitute, so that he can not supply himself with any little comforts that would alleviate and accord with his situation. "Most truly yours, “BENJ. F. BUTLER." GENERAL BUTLER TO THE SECRETARY OF WAR. 66 LOWELL, MASS., October 6, 1863. "Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War: "SIR:-I have the honor to inclose a note, received from Brigadier-General M. Jeff. Thompson, whom I knew in command of the forces immediately opposed to me at Pontchatoula, on the northern side of Lake Pontchartrain, when I was in command in the Department of the Gulf. The original I have sent, as requested, to Captain Thornton, on BrigadierGeneral Geo. F. Shepley's staff. Captain Thornton, a most valuable, brave, and efficient officer, was grievously wounded, with at least seven bullet holes through his clothes and various parts of his body, in the attack on Pontchatoula in September of last year, under the command of the late lamented Major-General Strong, then my chief of staff. Captain Thornton was left in the hands of the enemy, and received of General Thompson every care and kindness, and, at my request, was sent to New Orleans upon his parole. This courteous consideration on the part of General Thompson, I have no doubt, enabled us, with the blessing of heaven, to save Captain Thornton's valuable life. General Thompson is now a prisoner at Johnson's Island, near Sandusky, Ohio, If not inconsistent with public service, I most earnestly ask that General Thompson may be released upon his parole. في "While I can testify to the uniform urbanity and courtesy with which all the operations of General Thompson were conducted, I am most decidedly of opinion that the kindness which he showed to Captain Thornton alone should entitle him to every possible consideration. That kindness was not alone given to the officers, but the wounded men spoke of his treatment with the utmost gratitude. "I found him a troublesome enemy enough, but his humanity, which was in contrast with the conduct of General Taylor, leads me to ask this favor for him at the hands of the government. "As I am not much in the habit of asking leniency for rebels, I trust the war department will take it as a guaranty that this is a proper case for the extension of every indulgence. "I am, most respectfully, your obedient servant, "BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General U. S. Vols." GENERAL THOMPSON TO GENERAL BUTLER. "DEPOT OF PRISONERS OF WAR, “JOHNSON'S ISLAND, NEAR SANDUSKY, OHIO, "October 12, 1863. "Major-General B. F. BUTLER, U. S. Vols., Lowell, Mass.: "GENERAL:-Your kind letter of the 6th inst. was received on the 10th, but a violent headache has prevented me from answering it until now. "I am very much obliged to you for the interest you take in my welfare, and thank you for your unsolicited and flattering application to the United States war department in my behalf, and I am also grateful for the complimentary manner in which you speak of my conduct as an officer. "Should the United States war department prefer to 'parole' me, I will cheerfully accept it, not so much for the restricted liberty that it will give, as for the purpose of showing to the people of both governments that the stories that have been told about my being a guerilla, etc., are false; and that, with all the eccentricities and peculiarities that have been imputed to me, I have not forgotten to be a gentleman; and also that Captain Thornton and various other officers, who are under the impression that they are under obligations to me for similar favors, may feel that their government has shown a disposition to reciprocate for them. "You say that no one more surely than myself knows that the acts for which my government blames you were untruly reported and unjustly construed. What your intentions were when you issued the 'order' which brought so much censure upon yourself, I, of course, can not tell, but I can testify, and do with pleasure, that nearly all of the many persons who passed through my lines, to and from New Orleans, during the months of August and September, 1862, spoke favorably of the treatment they had received from you, and with all my inquiries, which were constant, I did not hear of one single instance of a lady being insulted by your command. Thanking you again for your kindness and compliments, and hoping that your government will soon conclude to 'let us alone,' "I am, most respectfully, your obedient servant, "M. JEFF. THOMPSON, Brigadier-General, M. S. G." The following letter from General Thompson to his sister, recently published in the newspapers, shows that General Butler's efforts in his behalf have not been fruitless. INTERESTING FROM JEFF. TO HIS SISTER-WHAT GENERALLY. "JOHNSON'S ISLAND, NEAR SANDUSKY, OHIO, SUNDAY, Oct. 11, 1863. "DEAR SISTER:-I know you will be astonished at an article which appeared in the St. Louis Republican of the 7th inst. about me, and in which the writer speaks of letters written by me to General Grant about Emma. Of course, everybody in St. Joseph will know how false this report is; but still I feel grieved that any man should exist who is mean enough to write such an article. All know that at the beginning of the war Emma was at the asylum, and that, as soon as I heard that she was well, I sent Colonel Chappell to Cairo, to endeavor to get her sent down to me, and that, as soon as permits were granted to any one, she came down to me. I simply re mind you of these facts for fear some person who is not acquainted with me may believe the slander, and that you can show them the falsity. "I am to be offered my parole, in consideration of the courtesy and kindness which I have universally shown to all my enemies, and I may accept it, not that I care about the 'restricted liberty' that it will give, but it will show to my friends and enemies (I mean personal) that the stories that have been told about me are false, and that I have always conducted myself, especially to those who were so unfortunate as to be taken prisoners (and more especially so when wounded), as a soldier and a gentleman. I can assure you, dear sister, that, when the truth shall be told, you will never hear anything of me of which you need be ashamed, although you will probably be often mortified by reports, anecdotes, and stories that may be told upon me. I have hung and shot my own men for disobeying me, and I will do it again; but the citizens where I have commanded have never been troubled by my troops or by my orders, and many Union men were and are in my district who can testify to this fact. You would be very proud to see some letters that I have received from prominent Union men and federal generals since I have been a prisoner. I am writing thus for fear I may not have time to write again before I leave, as, should the parole arrive and I accept it, I will immediately start to Richmond or to Canada. "I have authority to draw on George D. Prentice, of Louisville, or Major-General Benj. F. Butler, for what money I want; but should I not accept the parole, I will prefer to trust to my old personal friendship for little dribs until I am exchanged. "You will hear through the newspapers whether I go to Canada or the Confederacy; for I would be fearful to accept the parole for the United States, as I would quarrel with half the men I met. "Farewell, dear sister; I may not have time to write again before I may again be on the war path, and then my life is always in danger. (6 "Your affectionate brother, 27* "M. JEFF. THOMPSON." |