Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-12-08

formatio of the. pirate steamer Alabama ana
that the Vanderbilt sails to-day or Tomorrow
10 look tor her
GEN. PoRTER5 TRIAL.
The cross examination OF Gen. Pope wa.
continue on Saturday.
In answe- ~ sssn q aesIlen a. e .: .aAt mar
ticular the accused failed to carry out the
orders Of August e9lh, Gen. Pope answered
that he could only state the iacts from the
reports Of others, as he did not zee The accused
during the es1h, nor dad he knew his exact
position on that day until il W as reported to
ming, when he from tne d. ~ lnSrs ,hs s'e or
an order 70 Gen. Porter. He belle we'd the ac-
cused failed 70 carry out the srder, because, if
directed, he should have known il, being him
self on the field Of battle, and near the front
In relation to the first or joint order OF the 2hh
august, he had Gtn. Porter's note to Generals
mcdowell and King, in winch he pfen.
forter) himself staies that he had not fully
obeyed the joint order OF the 29th.
p The note ie as follows: E
Gene. Mcdowell and King: found IL iynf5os-
s1hie TO communicate by crossing the woods Ia
Groveton.' The enemy in strong force on.
this road; and as they appear TO have driven
having advanced and ours retired, / have
determined TO withdra w to Manassas / have
attempted 70 communicate with Mcdowell and
Sigel, but my messengers have run into The
enrmy. Th'y have gathered artillery, cavalry
IND infantry, and the ad vancing masses of q ust
show the nemy coming in force. am no "
passing, and how affairs are going Had Won
not better send your train back
F. j. PORTER, Major 1rneral.
This letter was handed to Gen. Pope on the
e9th, and WAS never delivered at all 10 either
Gems. Mcdowell or King. ..,
In answer 70 another question, the witness
stated that the only information b. remembered
TO have received Of the position Of the accused
was from Gen. Mcdowell when h. arrived on
the field, and from his aid de-camp when h.
returned from the delivery of his order, dated
~ O'Clock, p. M.
Gen. Pope vas then asked to recollect wheth-
er he received a note, through one OF his own
a.ds aft the reception of the first, stating that
the accused was then in position, which he
could held, and. perhaps, make an attack. il
strengthened by Kings division, which be (the
witness had taken from him. e.
Nltnrss did not remember having received
such note, but dad recollect one of his aid de-
camps telling him that Gen. p. said To him, or
In hls hearing, perhaps sent word, that if he
had Kings division he could make q dash, or
something OF that kind. The request however
made no impression on him (PopeD because
Kings division about that time was engaged in
front, and there We're no other troops that conld
be spared. In fact, be though Porter had al
ready Sufficient force to have accomplished
a,d sse %R.. IN ns D1Ssr
TO have received from the accused orally or in
writing, information thar Morreil was there
from INN that he was ready TO engage the ene-
my, but he presumed in sending tie order a.
whole corps 10 engage the enemy. He suppossd
That Gen. p. was with his command about this
time somew here on the road betw cen Manassas
ona ouaeuon ana Gaanesvilie, advancing toward
and probably very near the latter place
In answer to the question whether the ac
cused would, by obeying the Joint order OF the
s sy.n, nave & been brought mp in 'front.' OF the en-
what point of the enemy's line The witn-sx
stated that If the joint movement Of McDovell
ana Porter was made % as TO interseet the
Warrenton turnpike at Gaines VILE these two
corps would have been near enough 70 the turn :
PIKE IN case the enemy were brought to a stand
al any point OF II, to be brought on the field
~thln short time. Not knowing the exact
position OF the enemy, and where they,wouIa
be brought to q stand, of course he could not
yell wnether the forces OF Nc bowsil and Porter
Tonio come up In his front or on his fiaak
The cross-exanination then con tfnued as FOL
lows: 80. 80 -..ss.,, =. = 'e
q Without knowing the relative position Of
the forces under the command Of the accused
and ihe enemy, at 40 Of the 2Sth, how couId
youhaNe been certain, IL you were, that il would
be IN me power Of the accused TO turn the en-.
A. knew the enemy 10 occupy q line per
pendteular to the Warrenton turnpi and NJ
or near GroSetown, and WAS sure, from the or
ders had given Gen. p. that he must be eome-
where between Manassas Junction and (}ain,s.
vile. Thus far did know the relati We position
of the forces Of Gen. p. and the enemy. NV
n AZ
Junction and Gaines willie either passed nv the
right flank Of the enemy or was occupied by
that flank OF the enemy, and that Gen. Ps
march, 1t pursued, condu cted him ei,herfo the
risnt hank OF the enemy, or passed The right
Hank OF the enemy toward his rear,
In compliance with d request OF the accused
Gen. Pope pointed out on the map the relative
positions he supposed to have BEEN ASSUMED by
q IN. Porters corps and the force Of the enemy
he stated further, In answer TO an iuq uiry III AZ
sthe accused W as expected to attack, IL possible
Aan Of
FORCES, and, II possible, the rear, to have pre-
vented the junction Of Longstre.t's and lack
sons forces. and TO have crushed Jackson he
fore Longstrcet could effect a junction with
him. At the time the order of 40 n M was
issued, did not believe, nor do now heIiey
that tanyeoneiderahle portion of Longstreet's
corps had reached the vicinity Of the neld.
In answer 10 another Questioa, the witness
SAID ne supposed about an hour would be re-
CURED 10 put the order TO move h the hands
Of NE accused. he did not know. except from
5 and p. m. had the enemy i'm nediafelv,on
his front, hut he thought IL alto2ethir likely
that Jackson pushed out some forces 10 90
serve the road between the James river and ]
Msnassarf J nnction. = Is altogether likely,
therefore, that some of Yackson's troS rps were
in the presence of Gen. PoFter's division:
though Of his own kaowleds, he did nos know
witness was then asked to state whether
McDowelrs fine OF march, made urifShr the
Joint order Of the e9th, which took hin TO Grove
Town, did not necessarily carTy hi6l 70 the rear
of the column of tn" accused, and m ike him
march in that di ection. past the line Of the ac-
cusedl which he answered by say .ng that be