Major General Benjamin Franklin Butler A knees up view CDV. Back marked E&HT Anthony, Brady’s National Portrait Gallery. Butler was appointed brigadier general in April 1861. He commanded the 8th Massachusetts Militia and secured Baltimore early in the war. Assigned to Fort Monroe, Virginia, he famously declared escaping slaves "contraband of war," refusing their return to Confederate owners, a policy that shaped Union strategy. Promoted to major general, Butler led the capture of New Orleans in 1862, earning the nickname "Beast Butler" for his strict governance, which included controversial orders like General Order No. 28. His administration stabilized the city but drew Southern ire. He resumed his political career post-war, serving as a Massachusetts congressman and governor.