The national Republican., 1862-04-04
The Alexanaria Hospital.
OFFICIAL REPORT OF IT'S CONDITION.

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HEADQUARTERS AMY or TIE POTOMAC
Washington, March I. 1862.
GENERAL ORDERs-No. IS.
l. A Court Of Inquiry, of which Brigadier
General william H. French Is President, as
sembled at Alexsndria, Virginia, on the 9Th
February, 1852, pursuant 70 Special Orders, No.
"a, from these Headquarters, Of February 4,
1862, ct the request Of Surgeon J. B. Porter,
U. S. A., 70 examine Into certain matters alleged
against him respecting HE treatment Of the In.
mates Of the General Hospital at Alexandra,
with Instructions to report the facts Of the case,
aad iu opinion thereon.
The Court proceeded 70 take the testimony
Of those parties only whose names had been
connected with the charges against Surgeon
Porter, and after long, careful, and laborious
Investigation Of the matter, as appearing by the
statements on oaths Of these witnesses. came 10
the conclusions declared In the following state
ment Of
The Court find that certain inmates of The
Mansion House Hospital, at Alexandria, Va.
furnished by Col. J. II. Mansfield, Agent Of the
State Of Wisconsin, and Aid de Camp to the
Governor OF said State, certain letters alleging
certain matters against Surgeon J. B. Porter,
U. S. A., respecting bis treatment Of the in
mates Of the General Hospital at Alexandria,
Va. That these letters were published in the
New York Tribune and Warrington National
| Rpubiican, Of February 8, 1862.
The Court took these letters as the basis Of
their inquiry, and on the evidence under oath
Of the complalnants themselves. the evidence
has failed to substantate the statements set
forth in these letters except in few instances
outside Of the control of the Hospital Depart.
msnt, common to the army on the Virginia
aida If ho al n ohor
riod in the month of December. 1861, the flour
furnished TO the Alexandtia ia Bakery was of an
inferior quality.
No witness has testified to DR.. Porter's strik
ing a paticn, or otherwise Furnishing them.
The onlySns'ance Of men being punished
outside of the Hospital was Of man who was
drunk, who was turned over to the Proves,
Marshal of Alexandria for temporary restraint
Within the Hospital, patients under treat.
ment have had the usual mode rcsorted To. OF
keeping them confined 10 their rooms that Of
removing their clothes when they have violated
the rules Of the Hospital and attending Surgeon;
that the eating out OF the swill barrel by sew.
eral men was mere voluntary act on their
part, in consequence Of their having absented
themselves at the usual dinner hour.
The Court has drawn up tho facts on the eyi
dence Of the complainsnts themselves, Withou,
taking the evidence Of any one Of the witnesses
whom Dr. Porter offered 10 produce.
The Court finds that the conduct Of Dr. John
B. Porter towards the patients has been dis,in.
guished by kindness and consideration for the
wants Of The sick that no complaint has ever
been made to DR.. Porter, exceptin one instance
by the principal complainant. TO Colonel Mans
field aud according TO bis own evidence il wa
Immediately corrected.
Ths Court. from its own observation cannot
speak too highly OF the condition of the MAI.
sion Hospital, which is exhibited in the iac
that out OF over five hundred patients there
have been but thirty two deaths.
1t further Appears by the testimony OF solne
oil the complainants that the principa. object
they had in view was to obtain their discharges
: by writing strong letters TO Col. Manifold
! alleging bad treatment, which they could moi
, testify to under oath, that the signing of th,
, certificates by most Of the patients was becaus,
they were led to believe that IL they c0uit
swear 10 one grievance, they could sign ih,
P certificates to all the grievances alleged, snc
, that grievance had reference TO the quality q
the bread, alluded to before.
OPINION.
:. The Court il Of opinion that no further actiol
s necessary in the case.
H. The Maj Gan. COmm'g, having CAREFUL,
examined the testimony taken by the court o
inquiry Expresses his qualification that III
court, having listened only to the parties VIII
made the charges on which this investigation
Ii founded. declined 10 hear any rcbuttinl
evidence. To have done o herwiSe. beside
wasting time, would have rendered the vindi
Z cation Of Surgeon J. B. Porter less triumphan
a than IL is. As the record no stands this mel
4 itorous officer IL, out Of the mouths OF bis ac
cusers, or rather out Of the mouths OF ;bos
who were published IA bis accusers, not onl
T completely excu'patcd, hut shown to have bce
3 throughout exemplary in the discharge Of hi
:, arduous and respobsble duties.
Charges Of the most Injurious chnrac,t
+ were with perverse industry, circulated agains
p Or. Porter The Msjor General Commandn
A wishes 10 be indnlgent to that uuacquaintanc c.
with the rules Of military propriety which tn
manner in which this was done proclaims. Tn
rules Of juaiice were no less violated, however
and when II is seen that the men whose state
. ments were published were induced TO sigr
them by the suggestion Of utterly absurd men
y tai reservation, It will be apparent that th
II most charitable conclusion thai can be reache,
with respect to the accusers, is that their z.a
!, blinded their reason, and caiis d them 10 IoI
: get those principles Of action which are estat
i lished by equity for the moral government @
mankind The finding of facts by the cour
n renders all further comment unnecessary.
:. The court 0t inquiry Of which Brigade
!; General W. Fl. French is President, is dissolved
By command Of Maj. Gen. MCMILLAN:
5. WILLIAMS,
Assistant Adjutant General