Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1862-12-26
THE PORTER COURT MARTIAL
espondence of the Cincinnati Commercial.

Correspondence OF the Cincinnati Commercial.
For five days the court martial of Major
General Ftz John Porter, charged with
misbehavior during the military operations
directed by General Pope on the last days OF
August, has furnished large share Of the
matter Of general interest in this city. The
court is held in paror over restaurant ON
Fourteenth street, near Pennsylvania avenue
and is free to the public But few spectators
are present. The officers of the court, the
witnesses, the reporters, the accused and his
counsel with occasionally half dozen look
ers on, make up the company.
In the center of the room is large table
AT the end Of it sits Major General Hunter
President of the Court; at the other, Joseph
Holt, of Kentucky, Judge Advocate. On Gen.
eral Hunters right ale Major General Hitch,
cock and dsBrigadier Gcn' rails p entiss and Blu
ford On hls left are Brigadier Generals
King, Garfield and Slough. Major-General
Porter sits on the right OF the Judge Adyo.
cate, n few feet from the table, beside his
counsel, Reverdy johnson. During General
Pope's examination he was seated Oh the
left of the Judge Advocate.
When engaged in courts martial the off
GERS must dress in full uniform, and there is
consequently brilliant display Of buttons
and stars, ard handsome assortment OF
swords in gold scabbards and black hats
pluned with ostrich feathers, ornamented
the walls. About the waist Of each General
composing the Court is wound his sash, the
big tassels dangling by their sides like heads
of ripe wheat
General Hunter resembles the rest of the
Hunters Of Virginia, heavy in build and dark
in complexion and his face is rather
grim in repose, but lights up in most cour.
tcous and kindly smile. When addressed
by a friend on some personal matter, the
grim wrinkles quickly give way. His thick
hair is black as ink. He is clean shaven
with the exception Of his noustache, which
sweeps around his mouth rather jauntily.-
When reading he wears glasses. At othe,
times when presiding in this court he swing,
his spcctacles slowly in his left hand, and
shuts his eyes and mouth hard so as to puck
or his chin and forehead and so quietly will
he sit that he is liable to the suspicion Of be.
ing sleepy, until there is a point to decide
when he opens his eyes and is clear instantly
as to the whole subject. If there is any hu
NOR ahoat he eevidently has great apprccia.
ton Of it, He looks the old soldier in every
feature, and enjoys good joke as veteran
ought. He is dreadful Abolitionist, you
know, and was almost, if not quite, face.
tious in answering from South Carolina last
summer resolution of inquiry from Con.
gress concerning his attempted military or.
ganization OF contrabands. Herein he pro
voked the well n,.rsed wrath Of Mr.. Wick.
life, NJ. g., of Kentucky.
John j. Crttcnden was presented to the
pr,c;J;pu Eanoral tho ro,,,, an Cat
urday, and was received with q cordial po
liteness and case Of manner which his dis.
tingushed and distant relative, ex-senator
Hunter, of Virginia, who was something OF
a sloven, might have studied with advantage
He never lmpedcs business by elongated on
servations. Ills meaning is generally fully
expressed in ten words, uttered in low con
versational tone. and manner insinuatine
great Difference. but really somewhat impcri
Gus. lie leans forward over the table, his
attitude that of strict attention
Major. General Hitchcock sits well back in
his chair, displaying to advantage the twi,
stars upon his shoulders and the groups oil
buttons upon his breast lie is haze. elder.
ly gentleman. His hair consists exclusively
OF puffs, resembling snowy ostrich down
above his ears, and delicate fringe of the
same Aossy article about the back Of his head
His bald crown and fine face are of an uni
form rose color. His nose is slightly dspos
cd to be beak, but is not large enough to
look aggressive, and is very neat comppo.
mise between the thin and gross specimens
Of that important feature. His eye is keen
aid restless, and glances from beneath brows
that are jet black, and that mark his physi.
ognomy as by the caprice Of an artis.. lie