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Slightly wounded William was taken prisoner in the second engagement, January 22, 1813. When paroled, in the following month, at Fort Niagara, Butler returned to Kentucky. At the end of that perilous march to Kentucky, William O. Butler recruited a company with which he joined General Jackson. Once again receiving high praise for his gallantry in the attack on Pensacola.
Butler's company being attached to the Forty-fourth Infantry, under Colonel Ross took a conspicuous part in the battles of New Orleans. In the night fight he commanded four companies, constituting the left wing of General Jackson's army and in the decisive battle of January 8, 1815 commanded his own company.
For his ability and bravery at New Orleans, he was most flatteringly mentioned by General Jackson and for gallantry in the night battle, was made "brevet major". William subsequently became aid-de-camp to General Jackson, in place of his brother, Major Thomas Langford Butler, who had already retired from service of that same war. In 1817, greatly against the will of General Jackson, William retired as well from the army, with the rank of major. General Jackson predicted a brilliant career for Butler as commander of the army, should the country ever need his services. Jackson's attachment for the hero of New Orleans, which was unbounded from the first acquaintance in the army, increased throughout his life.
References to the Butlers and the Jacksons can be located by contacting the Andrew Jackson Papers Project at the University of Tennessee. According to these files children of William O. Butler's uncles, both Thomas and Edward, of the "Five Gallant Butler's" of Revolutionary War Fame (brothers to our Percival Butler) married members of Rachel Donelson Jackson's extended family. So the relationship between Jackson and the Butlers went deeper than friendship; it became one of family.
Soon after returning home, Butler finished his law studies and began the practice of his profession at Port William (now Carrollton). At this time it had been twenty years since coming with his family to settle at the mouth of the Kentucky.
William O. continued his law practice with great success. Without solicitation, he was elected to the Kentucky Legislature, in 1817; was reelected at the close of his term; was again elected to that same body, serving four years.
In 1844, he was the Democratic candidate for Governor of the State. Although defeated by William Owsley, he reduced the Whig majority by thousands. Butler was known to be one of the most able and popular men of the Democratic Party that had ever run for that office.
At the beginning of the war with Mexico, Butler was appointed Major General of Volunteers. He was wounded in the battle of Monterey, in 1846 and returned home to Carrollton for a time. In the following year, however he rejoined General Scott at the City of Mexico. In 1848 Butler succeeded General Scott to the chief command of the army. William Orlando Butler served as the last Commander In Chief until the treaty of peace with Mexico was signed. On display at the historic house is original General William Orlando Butler documents including a letter from Congress concerning the Mexican War. Also on display is President Polk's Diary, which describes the document from Congress and other Butler entries. In 1848, Butler was the Democratic, Vice Presidential running mate with Lewis Cass - Zachary Taylor defeated Cass.
In 1861, Butler was delegate to the "Peace Convention" at Washington. Butler never resumed his law practice, but devoted himself to the interests of farming. For his service in the Mexican War, he received two beautiful presentation swords. Butler received a silver sword from the people of Kentucky, in testimony of his daring gallantry in leading his brave division in the desperate charge against a battery, in the battle of Monterey. The second, a gold sword, " Presented by the President of the United States, agreeable to a resolution of Congress, in testimony of the high sense entertained by Congress of his gallantry and good conduct in storming Monterey."
William was married to Eliza Todd, daughter of General Robert Todd, and 2nd cousin to Mary Todd Lincoln. Eliza Butler died in 1863. She and her husband had no children. General William Orlando Butler died in 1880 and both are buried at the family cemetery at the Butler-Turpin House, State Historic Site, located inside General Butler State Resort Park.
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