Richard Butler (general)
Encyclopedia
Richard Butler was an officer in the Continental Army
in the American Revolutionary War
, who later died fighting American Indians
in Ohio
.
, Richard Butler was the oldest son of Thomas and Eleanor (Parker) Butler. Thomas Butler was an Irish aristocrat who served in the British army. In 1748 he opened a gun shop in Dublin, but that same year the family moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania
, where Thomas learned to make the Pennsylvania long rifles used in the French and Indian War
.
By 1760, the family had moved to the frontier at Carlisle, Pennsylvania
, where Thomas and his sons manufactured long rifles and became friends with Daniel Morgan
. The Butler gun shop still stands in Carlisle.
By the 1770s, Richard Butler and his brother William were important traders at Fort Pitt
in Pennsylvania
and in Ohio
. A street in Pittsburgh
, Butler Street, is named for them.
, the Continental Congress
named Richard Butler a commissioner in 1775 to negotiate with the Indians. He visited representatives of the Delaware, Shawnee
, and other tribes to secure their support, or at least neutrality, in the war with Britain.
In 1776, Butler was commissioned a major
in the Continental Army
, serving first as second in command to his friend Daniel Morgan. He saw action at the Battle of Saratoga
and the Battle of Monmouth
. His four brothers also served, and were noted for their bravery as the "fighting Butlers."
At Yorktown, George Washington conferred on Richard Butler the honor of receiving Cornwallis' sword of surrender, an honor which Richard gave to his second in command, Ebenezer Denny
. At the last moment, Baron von Steuben
demanded that he receive the sword. This almost precipitated a duel between Butler and Von Steuben.
At the victory dinner for his officers, George Washington raised his glass and toasted, "The Butlers and their five sons!"
put Richard Butler in charge of Indians of the Northwest Territory
. He negotiated the Treaty of Fort Stanwix
in 1784, in which the Iroquois
surrendered their lands. He was also called upon during later negotiations, such as the Treaty of Fort McIntosh
in 1785.
Butler returned to Pennsylvania, and was a judge in Allegheny County
. He also served in the state legislature. He married Maria Smith and had four children, only one who lived to have children and continue his line. Butler also fathered a son, Captain Butler (or Tamanatha) with Shawnee chieftess Nonhelema
.
When American Indians resisted the U.S. occupation
of Ohio, Butler, now a major general
, was sent north from Fort Hamilton (now Hamilton, Ohio
). He was second-in-command of an expedition led by General Arthur St. Clair
. Two of his brothers, Thomas and Edward
, were in the company with him. On the morning of November 4, 1791, Indians led by Chief Little Turtle ambushed the army and killed 600 men and scores of women and children. The Battle of the Wabash
, also known as St. Claire's Defeat, was the greatest loss the U.S. Army suffered against the Indians - far more so than Custer's Last Stand
.
Richard, a heavy man, was mortally wounded; his brother Thomas was shot in both legs. Richard ordered his younger brother Edward to leave him and save Thomas, which he did. Richard gave his sword to another officer with the admonition to never to wipe Butler blood from the blade. Later the sword was given to Edward's son, Edward George Washington Butler, in remembrance of his father's bravery in attempting to save his brothers.
Richard Butler was killed with a tomahawk
blow to the head. Simon Girty
, a white man living among the Indians, identified his body among the dead. Butler was then allegedly scalped
, and his heart removed and eaten by those warriors who wished to partake of his bravery. Years later, Chief Little Turtle returned to Butler's widow, Maria, the Society of the Cincinnati
medal Butler wore the day that he died. Little Turtle assured the widow that Butler's body had not been mutilated as reported.
It is alleged that Butler's remains were interred in a coffin on the battlefield, and that years later this coffin was found in the town of Fort Recovery
, Ohio
, and reburied at the Fort Recovery Memorial.
Butler County, Ohio
, where Fort Hamilton stood, is named for Richard Butler, as is Butler County, Kentucky
and Butler County, Pennsylvania
. The city of Butler, Pennsylvania
and the General Richard Butler Bridge (located in the city of Butler) are also named for him.
A miniature portrait of Richard Butler was painted by "The Painter of The Revolution," Colonel John Trumbull
, in 1790 and is in the collection of Yale University.
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
in the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, who later died fighting American Indians
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
.
Early life
Born in St. Bridget's Parish, Dublin, IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Richard Butler was the oldest son of Thomas and Eleanor (Parker) Butler. Thomas Butler was an Irish aristocrat who served in the British army. In 1748 he opened a gun shop in Dublin, but that same year the family moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...
, where Thomas learned to make the Pennsylvania long rifles used in the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
.
By 1760, the family had moved to the frontier at Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Carlisle is a borough in and the county seat of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The name is traditionally pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2010 census, the borough...
, where Thomas and his sons manufactured long rifles and became friends with Daniel Morgan
Daniel Morgan
Daniel Morgan was an American pioneer, soldier, and United States Representative from Virginia. One of the most gifted battlefield tacticians of the American Revolutionary War, he later commanded troops during the suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion.-Early years:Most authorities believe that...
. The Butler gun shop still stands in Carlisle.
By the 1770s, Richard Butler and his brother William were important traders at Fort Pitt
Fort Pitt (Pennsylvania)
Fort Pitt was a fort built at the location of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.-French and Indian War:The fort was built from 1759 to 1761 during the French and Indian War , next to the site of former Fort Duquesne, at the confluence the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River...
in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. A street in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, Butler Street, is named for them.
American Revolution
At the outset of the American RevolutionAmerican Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
named Richard Butler a commissioner in 1775 to negotiate with the Indians. He visited representatives of the Delaware, Shawnee
Shawnee
The Shawnee, Shaawanwaki, Shaawanooki and Shaawanowi lenaweeki, are an Algonquian-speaking people native to North America. Historically they inhabited the areas of Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Western Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, and Pennsylvania...
, and other tribes to secure their support, or at least neutrality, in the war with Britain.
In 1776, Butler was commissioned a major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
, serving first as second in command to his friend Daniel Morgan. He saw action at the Battle of Saratoga
Battle of Saratoga
The Battles of Saratoga conclusively decided the fate of British General John Burgoyne's army in the American War of Independence and are generally regarded as a turning point in the war. The battles were fought eighteen days apart on the same ground, south of Saratoga, New York...
and the Battle of Monmouth
Battle of Monmouth
The Battle of Monmouth was an American Revolutionary War battle fought on June 28, 1778 in Monmouth County, New Jersey. The Continental Army under General George Washington attacked the rear of the British Army column commanded by Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton as they left Monmouth Court...
. His four brothers also served, and were noted for their bravery as the "fighting Butlers."
At Yorktown, George Washington conferred on Richard Butler the honor of receiving Cornwallis' sword of surrender, an honor which Richard gave to his second in command, Ebenezer Denny
Ebenezer Denny
Ebenezer Denny was a soldier during the American Revolutionary War whose journal is one of the most frequently quoted accounts of the surrender of the British at the siege of Yorktown...
. At the last moment, Baron von Steuben
Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben
Friedrich Wilhelm August Heinrich Ferdinand von Steuben , also referred to as the Baron von Steuben, was a Prussian-born military officer who served as inspector general and Major General of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War...
demanded that he receive the sword. This almost precipitated a duel between Butler and Von Steuben.
At the victory dinner for his officers, George Washington raised his glass and toasted, "The Butlers and their five sons!"
Post American Revolution activity
After the war, the Confederation CongressCongress of the Confederation
The Congress of the Confederation or the United States in Congress Assembled was the governing body of the United States of America that existed from March 1, 1781, to March 4, 1789. It comprised delegates appointed by the legislatures of the states. It was the immediate successor to the Second...
put Richard Butler in charge of Indians of the Northwest Territory
Northwest Territory
The Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Northwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 13, 1787, until March 1, 1803, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Ohio...
. He negotiated the Treaty of Fort Stanwix
Treaty of Fort Stanwix
The Treaty of Fort Stanwix was an important treaty between North American Indians and the British Empire. It was signed in 1768 at Fort Stanwix, located in present-day Rome, New York...
in 1784, in which the Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
surrendered their lands. He was also called upon during later negotiations, such as the Treaty of Fort McIntosh
Treaty of Fort McIntosh
The Treaty of Fort McIntosh was a treaty between the United States government and representatives of the Wyandotte, Delaware, Chippewa and Ottawa nations of Native Americans...
in 1785.
Butler returned to Pennsylvania, and was a judge in Allegheny County
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Allegheny County is a county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,223,348; making it the second most populous county in Pennsylvania, following Philadelphia County. The county seat is Pittsburgh...
. He also served in the state legislature. He married Maria Smith and had four children, only one who lived to have children and continue his line. Butler also fathered a son, Captain Butler (or Tamanatha) with Shawnee chieftess Nonhelema
Nonhelema
Nonhelema was a Shawnee chieftess during the 18th century and the sister of Cornstalk, with whom she migrated to Ohio and founded neighboring villages....
.
When American Indians resisted the U.S. occupation
Northwest Indian War
The Northwest Indian War , also known as Little Turtle's War and by various other names, was a war fought between the United States and a confederation of numerous American Indian tribes for control of the Northwest Territory...
of Ohio, Butler, now a major general
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
, was sent north from Fort Hamilton (now Hamilton, Ohio
Hamilton, Ohio
Hamilton is a city in Butler County, southwestern Ohio, United States. The population was 62,447 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Butler County. The city is part of the Cincinnati metropolitan area....
). He was second-in-command of an expedition led by General Arthur St. Clair
Arthur St. Clair
Arthur St. Clair was an American soldier and politician. Born in Scotland, he served in the British Army during the French and Indian War before settling in Pennsylvania, where he held local office...
. Two of his brothers, Thomas and Edward
Edward Butler (soldier)
Edward Butler was an officer in the United States Army who served as acting Adjutant General and acting Inspector General of the U.S. Army from 1793 to 1794 and from 1796 to 1797.-See also:...
, were in the company with him. On the morning of November 4, 1791, Indians led by Chief Little Turtle ambushed the army and killed 600 men and scores of women and children. The Battle of the Wabash
St. Clair's Defeat
St. Clair's Defeat also known as the Battle of the Wabash, the Battle of Wabash River or the Battle of a Thousand Slain, was fought on November 4, 1791 in the Northwest Territory between the United States and the Western Confederacy of American Indians, as part of the Northwest Indian War...
, also known as St. Claire's Defeat, was the greatest loss the U.S. Army suffered against the Indians - far more so than Custer's Last Stand
Battle of the Little Bighorn
The Battle of the Little Bighorn, also known as Custer's Last Stand and, by the Indians involved, as the Battle of the Greasy Grass, was an armed engagement between combined forces of Lakota, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho people against the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army...
.
Richard, a heavy man, was mortally wounded; his brother Thomas was shot in both legs. Richard ordered his younger brother Edward to leave him and save Thomas, which he did. Richard gave his sword to another officer with the admonition to never to wipe Butler blood from the blade. Later the sword was given to Edward's son, Edward George Washington Butler, in remembrance of his father's bravery in attempting to save his brothers.
Richard Butler was killed with a tomahawk
Tomahawk (axe)
A tomahawk is a type of axe native to North America, traditionally resembling a hatchet with a straight shaft. The name came into the English language in the 17th century as a transliteration of the Powhatan word.Tomahawks were general purpose tools used by Native Americans and European Colonials...
blow to the head. Simon Girty
Simon Girty
Simon Girty was an American colonial of Scots-Irish ancestry who served as a liaison between the British and their Native American allies during the American Revolution...
, a white man living among the Indians, identified his body among the dead. Butler was then allegedly scalped
Scalping
Scalping is the act of removing another person's scalp or a portion of their scalp, either from a dead body or from a living person. The initial purpose of scalping was to provide a trophy of battle or portable proof of a combatant's prowess in war...
, and his heart removed and eaten by those warriors who wished to partake of his bravery. Years later, Chief Little Turtle returned to Butler's widow, Maria, the Society of the Cincinnati
Society of the Cincinnati
The Society of the Cincinnati is a historical organization with branches in the United States and France founded in 1783 to preserve the ideals and fellowship of the American Revolutionary War officers and to pressure the government to honor pledges it had made to officers who fought for American...
medal Butler wore the day that he died. Little Turtle assured the widow that Butler's body had not been mutilated as reported.
It is alleged that Butler's remains were interred in a coffin on the battlefield, and that years later this coffin was found in the town of Fort Recovery
Fort Recovery
Fort Recovery was a United States Army fort begun in late 1793 and completed in March 1794 under orders by General "Mad" Anthony Wayne. It was located on the site of the present-day village of Fort Recovery, Ohio, United States, on the Wabash River within two miles of the boundary with...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, and reburied at the Fort Recovery Memorial.
Butler County, Ohio
Butler County, Ohio
Butler County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of 2010, the population was 368,130. Its county seat is Hamilton. It is named for General Richard Butler, who died in 1791 fighting Indians in northern Ohio. Butler's army marched out of Fort Hamilton, where the city of...
, where Fort Hamilton stood, is named for Richard Butler, as is Butler County, Kentucky
Butler County, Kentucky
Butler County is a county located in the US state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1810, becoming Kentucky's 53rd county. As of 2000, the population was 13,010. Its county seat is Morgantown, Kentucky. Butler is a prohibition or dry county.- History :...
and Butler County, Pennsylvania
Butler County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 174,083 people, 65,862 households, and 46,827 families residing in the county. The population density was 221 people per square mile . There were 69,868 housing units at an average density of 89 per square mile...
. The city of Butler, Pennsylvania
Butler, Pennsylvania
The city of Butler is the county seat of Butler County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, situated north of Pittsburgh. The population was 15,121 at the 2000 census.- History :...
and the General Richard Butler Bridge (located in the city of Butler) are also named for him.
A miniature portrait of Richard Butler was painted by "The Painter of The Revolution," Colonel John Trumbull
John Trumbull
John Trumbull was an American artist during the period of the American Revolutionary War and was notable for his historical paintings...
, in 1790 and is in the collection of Yale University.