Skip to main content Smithsonian Institution

Catalog Data

Artist:
Thomas Nast, 27 Sep 1840 - 7 Dec 1902  Search this
Sitter:
Ulysses Simpson Grant, 27 Apr 1822 - 23 Jul 1885  Search this
Benjamin Franklin Butler, 5 Nov 1818 - 11 Jan 1893  Search this
Medium:
Wood engraving on paper
Dimensions:
Image: 36.5 × 23.1 cm (14 3/8 × 9 1/8")
Sheet: 42.9 × 28.9 cm (16 7/8 × 11 3/8")
Type:
Print
Date:
May 16, 1874
Exhibition Label:
Benjamin F. Butler (1818–1893) of Massachusetts was a shrewd lawyer, politician, and former Civil War general, who was relieved of command on several occasions. He had been a frequent target of both the Northern and Southern press, which reveled in castigating his obstinacy and ineptitude as “Butlerism.” In 1862, his heavy-handedness as the military governor of New Orleans led to his recall. Later, he was a weak link in General Ulysses S. Grant’s grand strategy to end the war when his command was “bottled up” in Bermuda Hundred, Virginia. Yet Butler withstood criticism and controversy. In 1874, while serving as a U.S. congressman, he was the principal proponent of the “inflation bill” to increase the nation’s money supply through the printing of greenbacks (paper money not backed by specie). President Grant, intent upon a long-term, sound monetary policy based on the gold standard, vetoed the bill, thus bottling up Butler yet again.
Topic:
Printed Material\Newspaper  Search this
Container\Bottle  Search this
Imaginary  Search this
Newspaper  Search this
Cartoon\Political  Search this
Home Furnishings\Furniture\Cradle  Search this
Benjamin Franklin Butler: Male  Search this
Benjamin Franklin Butler: Law and Crime\Lawyer  Search this
Benjamin Franklin Butler: Politics and Government\Presidential candidate  Search this
Benjamin Franklin Butler: Politics and Government\US Congressman\Massachusetts  Search this
Benjamin Franklin Butler: Politics and Government\Governor\Massachusetts  Search this
Benjamin Franklin Butler: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\Civil War\Union Army  Search this
Benjamin Franklin Butler: Politics and Government\State Legislator\Massachusetts  Search this
Benjamin Franklin Butler: Sports and Recreation\Athlete\Yachtsman  Search this
Ulysses Simpson Grant: Male  Search this
Ulysses Simpson Grant: Natural Resource Occupations\Agriculturist\Farmer  Search this
Ulysses Simpson Grant: Politics and Government\Cabinet member\Secretary of War  Search this
Ulysses Simpson Grant: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\Civil War  Search this
Ulysses Simpson Grant: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\General  Search this
Ulysses Simpson Grant: Politics and Government\President of US  Search this
Ulysses Simpson Grant: Congressional Gold Medal  Search this
Portrait  Search this
Credit Line:
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Object number:
NPG.88.225
Restrictions & Rights:
CC0
See more items in:
National Portrait Gallery Collection
Location:
Currently not on view
Data Source:
National Portrait Gallery
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm43bf8c327-2989-49c6-80ea-683c1dd5948d
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:npg_NPG.88.225