To Virginia and Beyond

This chapter examines Butler’s wartime activities from the time he left New Orleans through the end of the war, focusing especially on his command of U.S. Colored Troops in the Army of the James. In conjunction with his previous exposure to slavery’s horrors and his establishment of the “contraband policy” at Fort Monroe early in the war, this experience cemented Butler’s commitment to Black Americans’ civil, political, and human rights for the duration of his life. This chapter also provides evidence of Butler’s administrative skills, which undeniably exceeded his skills as a field commander, but nevertheless represented a quality of military leadership that was of great importance to Union victory.