William Howard Taft and Archibald Butt
Colonel Archibald Butt wasn't a cabinet member. He was more of an aide-de-camp to two Presidents: Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft. Although he had allegiance to both men, according to Doris Kearns Goodwin in her recent best-seller The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft and the Golden Age of Journalism (reviewed here), when Roosevelt and Taft had their falling out during Taft's term as President, Butt tried to remain apart from the conflict, but found himself sympathetic to Taft, and disappointed in Roosevelt.
Archibald Butt was born in September 1865 in Augusta, Georgia. Butt's father died when young Archie was 14 years old, and Butt went to work to support his mother, sister, and younger brother. Butt was a popular figure in D.C. social circles, and made numerous important acquaintances during his time in the capital. On January 2, 1900, Butt was commissioned as a captain in the United States Volunteers. He was assigned as an assistant quartermaster. For a time he served in the Phillippines, where William Howard Taft had been military governor. In 1904, Butt returned to Washington, D.C., where he was appointed Depot Quartermaster. In 1906, when a revolution broke out in Cuba, Butt was assigned to lead U.S. Army logistical operations there.
Butt was recalled to Washington in March 1908. President Theodore Roosevelt asked him to serve as his military aide in April 1908. Roosevelt had become acquainted with Butt's organizational skills in the Philippines and was impressed by his hard work and thoughtfulness. William Howard Taft had recommended Butt, whom he knew well from their time together overseas. Butt became one of Roosevelt's closest companions. Although Butt was a stout man, he and Roosevelt were constantly going climbing, hiking, horseback riding, running, swimming, and playing tennis. Butt also quickly organized White House receptions.
When William Howard Taft became president in March 1909, he asked Butt to stay on as military aide. Butt continued to serve as a social functionary for Taft, but he also proved to have strong negotiating skills and a good head for numbers. Taft was so impressed with Butt that he became Taft's de facto chief negotiator on federal budget issues. Butt accompanied President Taft when he threw out the first ball at the first home game of Major League Baseball's Washington Nationals in 1910 and 1911. On March 3, 1911, Butt was promoted to the rank of major in the Quartermaster Corps.
By 1912, Taft's first term was coming to an end. Roosevelt, who had fallen out with Taft, was known to be considering a run for president against him. The conflict between the two men adversely affected Butt, who was close to both men and fiercely loyal. Butt began to suffer from depression and exhaustion. Butt's close friend Francis Davis Millet (himself one of Taft's circle) asked Taft to give him a leave of absence to recuperate before the presidential primaries began. Taft agreed and ordered Butt to go on vacation. Although Butt was on no official business, but anti-Catholic newspapers accused Butt of being on a secret mission to win the support of Pope Pius X in the upcoming election. Butt had planned to meet with Pius, and he carried with him a personal letter from Taft. But the letter merely thanked the pope for elevating three Americans to the rank of cardinal, and asked what the social protocol was for greeting them at functions.
Butt left on a six-week vacation to Europe on March 1, 1912, accompanied by Millet. The two men booked passage on the RMS Titanic for their return to the United States. Butt boarded the Titanic at Southampton, United Kingdom, on April 10, 1912 and Millet boarded the ship at Cherbourg, France, later that same day. Butt was playing cards on the night of April 14 in the first-class smoking room when the Titanic struck an iceberg. The ship sank two and a half hours later, with a loss of over 1,500 lives.
Butt's actions while the ship sank are incapable of being verified, but many accounts were published by newspapers after the disaster. One account had the ship's captain, Edward J. Smith, telling Butt that the ship was doomed, after which Butt began to act like a ship's officer and supervised the loading and lowering of lifeboats. The New York Times also claimed that Butt herded women and children into lifeboats. Another account said that Butt, a gun in his hand, prevented panicked male passengers from storming the lifeboats. Another version of events said that Butt yanked a man out of one of the lifeboats so that a woman could board. Many newspapers repeated a story allegedly told by Marie Young, which claimed that Butt helped her into Lifeboat No. 8, tucked a blanket about her, and said, "Goodbye, Miss Young. Luck is with you. Will you kindly remember me to all the folks back home?" But Young later wrote to President Taft denying she ever told such a story.
Whatever the true story was, Butt went down with the Titanic and his remains were never found. He was mourned by the two Presidents that he had closely served. Taft especially is said to have taken Butt's loss very badly.
Archibald Butt was born in September 1865 in Augusta, Georgia. Butt's father died when young Archie was 14 years old, and Butt went to work to support his mother, sister, and younger brother. Butt was a popular figure in D.C. social circles, and made numerous important acquaintances during his time in the capital. On January 2, 1900, Butt was commissioned as a captain in the United States Volunteers. He was assigned as an assistant quartermaster. For a time he served in the Phillippines, where William Howard Taft had been military governor. In 1904, Butt returned to Washington, D.C., where he was appointed Depot Quartermaster. In 1906, when a revolution broke out in Cuba, Butt was assigned to lead U.S. Army logistical operations there.
Butt was recalled to Washington in March 1908. President Theodore Roosevelt asked him to serve as his military aide in April 1908. Roosevelt had become acquainted with Butt's organizational skills in the Philippines and was impressed by his hard work and thoughtfulness. William Howard Taft had recommended Butt, whom he knew well from their time together overseas. Butt became one of Roosevelt's closest companions. Although Butt was a stout man, he and Roosevelt were constantly going climbing, hiking, horseback riding, running, swimming, and playing tennis. Butt also quickly organized White House receptions.
When William Howard Taft became president in March 1909, he asked Butt to stay on as military aide. Butt continued to serve as a social functionary for Taft, but he also proved to have strong negotiating skills and a good head for numbers. Taft was so impressed with Butt that he became Taft's de facto chief negotiator on federal budget issues. Butt accompanied President Taft when he threw out the first ball at the first home game of Major League Baseball's Washington Nationals in 1910 and 1911. On March 3, 1911, Butt was promoted to the rank of major in the Quartermaster Corps.
By 1912, Taft's first term was coming to an end. Roosevelt, who had fallen out with Taft, was known to be considering a run for president against him. The conflict between the two men adversely affected Butt, who was close to both men and fiercely loyal. Butt began to suffer from depression and exhaustion. Butt's close friend Francis Davis Millet (himself one of Taft's circle) asked Taft to give him a leave of absence to recuperate before the presidential primaries began. Taft agreed and ordered Butt to go on vacation. Although Butt was on no official business, but anti-Catholic newspapers accused Butt of being on a secret mission to win the support of Pope Pius X in the upcoming election. Butt had planned to meet with Pius, and he carried with him a personal letter from Taft. But the letter merely thanked the pope for elevating three Americans to the rank of cardinal, and asked what the social protocol was for greeting them at functions.
Butt left on a six-week vacation to Europe on March 1, 1912, accompanied by Millet. The two men booked passage on the RMS Titanic for their return to the United States. Butt boarded the Titanic at Southampton, United Kingdom, on April 10, 1912 and Millet boarded the ship at Cherbourg, France, later that same day. Butt was playing cards on the night of April 14 in the first-class smoking room when the Titanic struck an iceberg. The ship sank two and a half hours later, with a loss of over 1,500 lives.
Butt's actions while the ship sank are incapable of being verified, but many accounts were published by newspapers after the disaster. One account had the ship's captain, Edward J. Smith, telling Butt that the ship was doomed, after which Butt began to act like a ship's officer and supervised the loading and lowering of lifeboats. The New York Times also claimed that Butt herded women and children into lifeboats. Another account said that Butt, a gun in his hand, prevented panicked male passengers from storming the lifeboats. Another version of events said that Butt yanked a man out of one of the lifeboats so that a woman could board. Many newspapers repeated a story allegedly told by Marie Young, which claimed that Butt helped her into Lifeboat No. 8, tucked a blanket about her, and said, "Goodbye, Miss Young. Luck is with you. Will you kindly remember me to all the folks back home?" But Young later wrote to President Taft denying she ever told such a story.
Whatever the true story was, Butt went down with the Titanic and his remains were never found. He was mourned by the two Presidents that he had closely served. Taft especially is said to have taken Butt's loss very badly.