General Butler issued a Chickamauga Veteran a pardon or did the rebel just perform the Ole Tennessee Two-Step? Butler had a group of Confederate Veterans gathered to administer the Oath of Allegiance to the United States. Each soldier would be pardoned and allowed to return home, as long as they swore the oath and promised to never bear arms against the nation again.
One surly and unrepentant Tennessee rebel swaggered up to General Butler and sputtered; “We sure gave you Hell at Chickamauga!”
Butler, who was known for his short fuse and bluster, instantly transformed, ranting and raving at the indignant veteran, that if he didn’t get back in line and swear his Allegiance, he would be shot on the spot. With not a blink of the eye, the Tennessee rebel again taunted; ” We sure gave you Hell at Chickamauga!”
The General was flabbergasted, almost apoplectic, he summoned his adjutant and ordered the impudent soldier executed. Just as the Union squad was approaching to haul him to the wall, the Chickamauga Veteran acquiesced and submitted to the Oath.
As the Confederate Veteran repeated the oath, his icy stare never wavered from the eyes of General Butler. After swearing his allegiance, he strolled calmly over to the General, looked him in the eye and stated; ” Guess I’m a good Yankee now and a citizen of the United States.”
Butler agreed condescendingly; “Yes, I hope so!”
“Well, General the rebels did give us Hell at Chickamauga, didn’t they?”
And so, the Chickamauga Veteran proved the benefits of the “Ole Tennessee Two-Step.”
Bummer
