A former journalist, Butt was a well-known military aide and adviser to US presidents William Howard Taft and Theodore Roosevelt. He joined the army who fought during the Spanish-American War.

After the war ended, he was assigned to the Philippines as a volunteer and later promoted as Assistant Quartermaster with the rank of Captain. He stayed in Manila until July 1903.

In 1912, after a short trip to Europe, Butt embarked Titanic to return to the US. Sadly, he was one of the victims who perished when the ship sank. His body was never recovered.