William Orlando Butler (April 19, 1791 – August 6, 1880) was a
U.S. political figure and
U.S. Army major general from
Kentucky. He served as a
Democratic congressman from Kentucky from 1839 to 1843, and was the Democratic
vice-presidential nominee under
Lewis Cass
Lewis Cass (October 9, 1782June 17, 1866) was an American military officer, politician, and statesman. He represented Michigan in the United States Senate and served in the Cabinets of two U.S. Presidents, Andrew Jackson and James Buchanan. He w ...
in
1848
1848 is historically famous for the wave of revolutions, a series of widespread struggles for more liberal governments, which broke out from Brazil to Hungary; although most failed in their immediate aims, they significantly altered the polit ...
.
Born in
Jessamine County, Kentucky
Jessamine County () is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 52,991. Its county seat is Nicholasville, Kentucky, Nicholasville. The county was ...
, Butler studied law after graduating from
Transylvania University. He served in the
War of 1812, taking part in the
Battle of the Thames and the
Battle of New Orleans. After the war, he practiced law in
Carrollton, Kentucky and briefly served in the
Kentucky House of Representatives
The Kentucky House of Representatives is the lower house of the Kentucky General Assembly. It is composed of 100 Representatives elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. Not more than two counties can be joined to form ...
. He served in the
United States House of Representatives from 1839 to 1843 before running for
Governor of Kentucky in 1844. He lost the 1844 gubernatorial election to
Whig nominee
William Owsley.
During the
Mexican–American War, Butler served as a major general of volunteers. He was General
Zachary Taylor's second-in-command during the
Battle of Monterrey and later succeeded
Winfield Scott as the commander of American forces occupying
Mexico City. The
1848 Democratic National Convention
The 1848 Democratic National Convention was a presidential nominating convention that met from Monday May 22 to Thursday May 25 in Baltimore, Maryland. It was held to nominate the Democratic Party's candidates for President and Vice president in ...
nominated a ticket of Cass and Butler, but the Whig ticket of Taylor and
Millard Fillmore won the 1848 presidential election. He attended the
Peace Conference of 1861, which sought to defuse the secession crisis that arose following the
1860 presidential election. During the
Civil War, Butler was a
War Democrat who favored the
Union.
Early life
Butler, the son of Mildred Hawkins and Gen. Percival Butler, was born in
Jessamine County, Kentucky
Jessamine County () is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 52,991. Its county seat is Nicholasville, Kentucky, Nicholasville. The county was ...
(then
Fayette County), and graduated from
Transylvania University in 1812. He began the
study of law with Robert Wickliffe, but his education was interrupted by the
War of 1812.
War of 1812
Battle of the River Raisin
When the
War of 1812 began, Butler volunteered as a private to fight the British and the Indians. He took part in the
Battle of the River Raisin
The Battles of Frenchtown, also known as the Battle of the River Raisin and the River Raisin Massacre, were a series of conflicts in Michigan Territory that took place from January 18–23, 1813, during the War of 1812. It was fought between the ...
. During the battle, Butler and fellow soldiers defended themselves behind a
fencerow. The Indians poured such an intense fire on the fencerow that when it was over Butler found that his clothes were riddled with bullets. While the British were being decimated by American riflemen behind the cover of fences from the left position of the American lines, the British placed their soldiers in the cover of a barn in front of the American positions 150 yards away. Butler volunteered to conduct a hit-and-run operation to destroy the barn to deprive the British of cover in the barn. Butler carried a firebrand in the face of steady enemy gunfire, Butler raced to the barn and set it ablaze. Butler withdrew back to the American lines to gather straw. He then raced to the barn to place the straw on the fire. With the barn destroyed, Butler safely returned to the American lines. Later, the whole American force were defeated and captured.
Battle of the Thames
After the British captured Butler and sent him to
Fort Niagara where he remained until the British freed him on parole. He returned to Kentucky only to join the American forces that met the British and Indians at the
Battle of the Thames in 1813.
Battle of New Orleans
Butler and his men were sent to New Orleans to assist
Andrew Jackson in the city's defense. He distinguished himself during the
Battle of New Orleans. Among the men under his command was future Florida governor
Richard Keith Call, who would remain lifelong friends with Butler.
Political career
After the end of the War of 1812, Butler returned to Kentucky, resumed his legal studies, and attained admission to the bar. From 1817 to 1844, he practiced law in Carrollton. Butler served in the
Kentucky House of Representatives
The Kentucky House of Representatives is the lower house of the Kentucky General Assembly. It is composed of 100 Representatives elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. Not more than two counties can be joined to form ...
in 1817 and 1818. From 1839 to 1843, he served as a congressman. In 1844, he received a unanimous nomination of the Democratic Party for governor. Described as the most formidable candidate that the Democrats had ever nominated for governor, Butler's race against Whig candidate
William Owsley was close. Owsley won with 59,680 votes to Butler's 55,056.
Mexican-American War
When the Mexican War broke out, Butler again joined the army. On June 29, 1846, he was appointed major general of volunteers and commanded the 1st Volunteer Division in the
Army of Occupation. He served as second-in-command to
Zachary Taylor during the
Battle of Monterrey, in which he was wounded. On February 18, 1848, he superseded General
Winfield Scott as the commanding general of the American army in Mexico City. He left the service on August 18, 1848, after he had been selected as the Democratic Vice Presidential nominee.
Election of 1848
In
1848
1848 is historically famous for the wave of revolutions, a series of widespread struggles for more liberal governments, which broke out from Brazil to Hungary; although most failed in their immediate aims, they significantly altered the polit ...
, Butler was the Democratic candidate for Vice President of the United States. At the
1848 Democratic National Convention
The 1848 Democratic National Convention was a presidential nominating convention that met from Monday May 22 to Thursday May 25 in Baltimore, Maryland. It was held to nominate the Democratic Party's candidates for President and Vice president in ...
, delegate
Francis P. Blair
Francis Preston Blair Sr. (April 12, 1791 – October 18, 1876) was an American journalist, newspaper editor, and influential figure in national politics advising several U.S. presidents across party lines.
Blair was an early member of the De ...
was a leader of the movement to put Butler on the ticket with
Lewis Cass
Lewis Cass (October 9, 1782June 17, 1866) was an American military officer, politician, and statesman. He represented Michigan in the United States Senate and served in the Cabinets of two U.S. Presidents, Andrew Jackson and James Buchanan. He w ...
, and Butler won the nomination on the first ballot over
John A. Quitman
John Anthony Quitman (September 1, 1798 – July 17, 1858) was an American lawyer, politician, and soldier. As President of the Mississippi Senate, he served one month as Acting Governor of Mississippi (from December 3, 1835, to January 7, 1836) a ...
and
William R. King
William Rufus DeVane King (April 7, 1786 – April 18, 1853) was an American politician and diplomat. He was the 13th vice president of the United States from March 4 until his death in April 1853. Earlier he had served as a U.S. represent ...
. In the general election, the ticket of Cass and Butler was defeated by Whig candidates
Zachary Taylor and
Millard Fillmore. Butler was the first non-incumbent
Democratic vice presidential candidate to lose election.
Later years
Butler turned down the
governorship of the
Nebraska Territory in 1855.
Politically, Butler was a moderate. Although a slaveholder, he was opposed to the extension of slavery and favored gradual legal emancipation. He stood firmly for the preservation of the Union and was a
Union Democrat
''The Union Democrat'' is a newspaper that serves the Sonora and Sierra Nevada foothills area of Tuolumne and Calaveras counties, California since 1854.
It was acquired by Oregon-based Western Communications since 1998. Previously, it was owned ...
during the
Civil War.
He was present at the
peace conference of 1861, a gathering of political leaders that met in
Washington, D.C. in an attempt to avert the impending
American Civil War.
Butler also authored a volume of poetry entitled ''The Boatman's Horn, and Other Poems''.
Death and burial
Butler died in
Carrollton, Kentucky on August 6, 1880 at age 89. He was interred in the Butler family cemetery in Carrollton.
Legacy
The
Gen. William O. Butler House, his home in
Carrollton, Kentucky, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Places named for General Butler:
*
Butler County, Iowa
*
Butler County, Missouri
*
Butler County, Nebraska
*
Butler, Missouri
Butler is a city in Bates County, Missouri, United States and is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. The population was 4,219 at the 2010 census. The county seat of Bates County, the city is named for William Orlando Butler, a noted Ame ...
(in Bates County)
*
General Butler State Resort Park
General Butler State Resort Park is a state park located near Carrollton, Kentucky in Carroll County. The park is named for General William O. Butler, a soldier in both the War of 1812 and the Mexican–American War. The park features a lodge ...
near
Carrollton, Kentucky.
*
Butler Township, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania
Butler Township is a township in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, United States. Formed in 1848 from part of Barry Township, it is named for war hero William Orlando Butler.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township ...
*
Butler, Georgia
References
External links
*
William Orlando Butlerat Kentucky State Parks
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Butler, William Orlando
1791 births
1880 deaths
American military personnel of the Mexican–American War
American slave owners
United States Army personnel of the War of 1812
Democratic Party (United States) vice presidential nominees
Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Kentucky
Kentucky lawyers
Democratic Party members of the Kentucky House of Representatives
People from Jessamine County, Kentucky
People from Kentucky in the War of 1812
Transylvania University alumni
United States Army generals
1848 United States vice-presidential candidates
War of 1812 prisoners of war held by the United Kingdom