Monday, August 5, 2013

General Benjamin Butler

After New Orleans fell in 1862 to the Yankees, it underwent a period of occupation by Union troops.  They acted about like you would expect tourists with guns to act, even to the point of petty thievery.  Their commanding officer, one General Benjamin F. Butler, was particularly noxious to the inhabitants, especially the ladies of New Orleans.  However, all soon was forgiven; they honored General Butler in a special way with his commemorative chamber pot. that soon became very popular.

General Butler established a veritable turdocracy there.  [Thanks for the expression, Elvis.]  He also known for stealing spoons, hence his nickname "Spoons" Butler.

He came from Boston, where he was a politician before soldiering.

Butler made a big ass of himself; and he was replaced by Gen. Nathaniel Banks.  He was better at p.r. as head of an occupying force.  As a matter of fact, they later named after him a pretty street with a tree-lined neutral ground and nice homes on it.




5 comments:

bakku-shan said...

A very interesting bit of history.

TexWisGirl said...

oh my gosh!

Grand Crapaud said...

In Boston they would have chamber pots with NY Yankees' pictures.

Bilbo said...

It's too bad we don't use chamber pots and spittoons any more ... I think there would be a wonderful business opportunity for some enterprising entrepreneur, cranking out all those items with pictures of senators, reprehensives, and similar creatures on the bottoms.

Elvis Wearing a Bra on His Head said...

That was a clever decoration!