Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-12-11
TIE MCDOWELL COURT OF INQUIRY.

The Court met at eleven o. clock this morning
TIL" room was crowded again with people
quite willing 10 undergo the fatigue Of = stand
ing position, under the expectation that some
further interesting eyelopments might turn up
Ii was unders iood that the examination of
General Mcclellan would be resumed and it
WAS expected that an answer would be given
to the following question, which General McC.
Yesterday asked time to consider. Viz:
q. You have stated that troops were retained
for the defense of Washington. Did those plans
provide Tor q force TO be retained from The force
under your command; and, if 40, how large
was the force TO be retained and what troops
We're TO compose
Gen. Mcclellan, on taking his seat at the
table, answered 10 the effect that the troops to
be retained for the defense OF Washington We're
almost entirely from those under his immediate
command. lie could not state from memory
precisely rs 10 the forces, but witness Oh tie
LIST of April sen; letter to the Secretary of War
giving fun particulars. The forces left for The
defense of Washington Were $4,000 men, indie.
pendent Of the corps Of Gen. Mcdowell
According to his recollection the number stated
in the letter who We're presci.t with their regi-
III, hts.
Question hy III" court Explain what vou
refer TO a. the dep, ndencics OF Washington
A. ! referred IL the approaches Of Washing
ton, both i'll the direction of the Orange and
Alexandria Railroad and by the Shenand ,:.h
Valley. The ins tructicns given in regard 10 the
positions Of these troops contemplated postiu.
the mass of them IN The vicinity of Manassas
and the line OF the Manassas Gap Railroad,
near Front Roy al, 30 that tho whole force IL.
available ou either app roach To- thie city. Dn
the fir.t OF April, tn date of he letter refer
1. ,f,,
for lis guidance in posting troops in front OF
Washington, which lt.t"r would be q fuller
answer 10 thr question 'htn tie general one
hsN. given. and Il kich will Also st.,air 20
tii" court IL they desire it.
Il reply 10 qu.stione by the Court IA. Wit
r,-S laid
/ think Gen. Mcdowell was Corroc: IN hi.
opinion INST il was safe and proper for hlm 20
uni'e : ith he army OF the Potomac. I think
tha! INN ediat"iy after he occupation ot Iinn-
over Court House by a portion OF The army vi
The Potomac, thcrc WAS no Te'el fore. brtw-an
Hanover Court House and Gen Mcdowell
TIN re might have been -omr rebel ca valrv, but
40 for" Of any consequence. l think :h- main
objeCi OF Jarksop's Ino,eIhent against Bank,
was Ia pr vent rcintur, ements being sent 10 the
army al Ia" Potomac, and expressed that opin-
ion in = letter Ia the President within q day or
two OF The time l rcceiN ed information D. jack
sons movement. think that il Gen Mellow
ell had moved direct upon Hanover Court
House, instead OF in the direction of Front
ROYAL, Jackson would have rapidly traced
h- steps 20 join the main rebel army AT Rich
mond.
With strong army OF our own in The yiciaity
OF Richmond and threat. ming II, do not think
She rchri- would ever detach q suffisieut force
y e. ~ U>lN vt.r tIS of
ing;on-
q. Had Gen. MCDoweIl knowledge 81 your
l'tt'r 10 the President conveying information
o; tho strength OF troops 10 cover Washing
4. do not know that he had; seat him no
copy.
u. Had Gen. Mcdowell knowledge OF the
facts disclosed in that communication. either
derived by consultation with you or oth.rw i've
esp, cially with regard 10 ti,e number Of troop,
l.ft 10 cover Washington
A. think he had gems raj kuowI ledge, iudg-
ing from conversations We had, but probably
not 4 full knowledge OF the number Of ,roops
let.
q. State n nearly As yen can wha knowI-dge
he had on that point.
a. | cannot pretend 10 recollcct fully busy
rs was with the detaIls of 30 large al pxpedi.
zion that, and can only say, in general terms.
II.
Mellow IL.
q. Did You. in your consultations TO which
Gen. Mcdowell was party, talk over the
number If troops left when you should move
with lie bulk Of the army for the PENINSULA
A. We.
q. What as the largest number Of troops
suggested 10y any corps commander TO be left
for the defense Of Washington and in this con-
nec,icn state he number recomln- nded by ;rn
Mcdowell!
A. MY recollection is, that the suggestions A.
10 H forcee TO DO left varied from forty to fifty
thousand l think Gen Mcdowell proposed
the latter number. OF one thing am confident
that with The facte fresh in my mind thought
that LET, more than WAS suggested by any
corps commander.
General Mcclellan was ye, under exsmina-
ton when We left The room
TIKI PORTER COURT MARTIAL