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Join the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War as we honor the legacy of Maj. Gen. Benjamin F. Butler in our annual memorial service of this Union hero. Date: November 7, 2026
Time: 11 AM
Location Hildreth Cemetery (270 Hildreth Street, Lowell, MA)
Butler was a Lowell lawyer and first General from Massachusetts to be called to Federal service during the American Civil War. In April 1861 he led the 8th Massachusetts Militia to Annapolis, reopening the route to the Capital, and his occupation of Baltimore soon after helped keep Maryland in the Union.
At Fort Monroe, Butler refused to return three freedom seekers to their Confederate enslaver, declaring them "contraband of war." That ruling set a precedent that drew thousands of enslaved people to Union lines and helped lead to emancipation. He shared in the capture of Hatteras Inlet, one of the Union's first victories, and in 1862 governed occupied New Orleans with a firm hand that earned him the nickname "Beast" across the South.
Throughout the war he championed Black enlistment and had a special medal struck for the U.S. Colored Troops who stormed New Market Heights in 1864. After the war he served in Congress where he led the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, pushed anti-Klan legislation, and guided the Civil Rights Act of 1875 through the House. In 1882 he was elected as the 33rd Governor of Massachusetts and ran for president in 1884 on the Greenback and Anti-Monopoly tickets.
This is a special opportunity to visit Butler's final resting place and remember the contributions of one of Massachusetts' greatest citizens. We hope you'll join us.
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Event venue
Hildreth Cemetery, 199 Aiken Ave, Lowell, MA 01850-1539, United States
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