Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1862-12-08
COURT-MARTIAL OF GEN. PORTER.
y SATURDAY, December o.

counsel of Gen Porter wAs cohtinucd;
Q. win you,s ssih whss psttlcolar the ae-
cused failed to carryout your Joint order Of the
Goth of August
A. can only state the facts from the reports
Of others, as did not see the accused during
the 29th, nor did know his exact position on
that day until IL was reported TO me BY my
aid de camp, quite late In the evening, when
he returned from the delivery of an order to
Gen. Porter. I believe the accused failed to
carry ont the order, because, IL he had attacked
the enemy on the flank, as he was directed,
should have known IL, being myself on the
field of battle, and near to the front. In rela
tion to the first or joint order of the 2gth Au-
gust, have Gen. Porter's note TO Generals Nc
Dowell and King, In which he himself states
that he had not fully obeyed the joint order of
the Goth.
The note Is as follows;
GEMS. MCDOWELL AND KING: found It i'm
possible to communicate by crossing the woods
to Groveton. The enemy are in strong force
on this road, and as they appear to have driven
our forces back, and the firing of the enemy
having advanced and ours retired, have de-
termned to withdraw to Manassas. I have at
tempted to communicate with Mcdowell and
Sigel, but my messengers have run into the
enemy They have gathered artillery, cavalry
and infantry, and the advancing masses Of dust
show the enemy coming In force. l am now
going to the head Of the column TO see what is
passing, and how affairs are going. Had you
not better send your train back2
F. J. PORTER, Major General.
This note was handed to me on the Goth Of
August, between seven and eight O'Clock p. m,
and not delivered at all to either Gen. Mcdowell
or King, as I understand. No other note was
received by me from the accused.
Q. Did you receive information from the ac-
attaa nd IN af m nj b.
note, which has been producedl
A. The only information remember to have
received of the position of the accused, was
from Gen. Mcdowell when he arrived on the
field, and from my aid-de-camp when he re-
turned from the delivery Of my order, dated Al
O'Clock p. m. d.. .
o. Recollect, If you can, whether YOU re
ceved note, through one of your own aids after
the reception Of the first, stating that the ac-
cused was there in position, which he could
hold, and, perhaps, make an attack, II strength
ened by Kings division, which you had taken
from him.
A. do not remember to have received a note,
but have some recollection of my aid-de-camp
telling me that Gen. P. said to him, or in his
hearing, perhaps sent me word, that If he had
Kings division he could make dash, or some
thing Of thut kind. The request, however,
made no impression upon me, because Kings
division about that time was engaged in an ac-
ton with the enemy on our immediate front,
and there were no other troops that could be
spared. In fact, thought he had already a
sufficient force to have accomplished during
the day the purpose implied in the order Of A.
O'Clock. n-0
Q. Did you receive from the accused orally,
or in writing, Information that Morrell was
there when the note was written, or informa-
tion sent from him that he was ready TO engage
the enemy. $3.50 .fr.H.Fu
A. / do not remember TO have received that
information, though presumed in sending the
order at Al O'Clock, that Gen. P. was ready with
his whole corps to engage the enemy. sup
posed that Gen. p. was with his command about
this time somewhere on the road between Ma
nassas Junction and Gainesville, advancing to-
ward, and probably very near the latter place
Q. Would the accused, by obeying the joint
order Of the 29th, have been brought up In front
of the enemy at Al O'Clock ofthat evening, and
If so, at what point Of the enemy's linei
A. As ] have before stated, when the joint or
der was issued, I was not certain at what point
| IL at any, on the Warrenton turnpike, east o
Gainesville, the enemy could be brought 10 {
stand. Ifthe joint movement of Mcdowell ant
Porter was therefore made SO as to intersect thu
Warrenton turnpike at Gainesville, these two
corps would have been near enoughto the turn
pike In case the enemy were brought to stand
at any point of IL, to be brought on the fielt
within a short time. Not knowing the exac
| position of the enemy, and where they woult
\ be brought to a stand, of course could not tel
whether the forces Of Mcdowell and Porte
would come up in his front or on his flank.
@. Without knowing the relative position o
the forces under the command of the accused
and the enemy, at 4.30 Of the Goth, how coul,
4 you have been certain, II you were, that !
would be In the power Of the accused 10 turi
the enemy's right fank2
A. knew the enemy 10 occupy line per
pendicular to the Warrenton turnpike, and a
or near Grovetown, and was sure, from tn
orders had given General p, that he must b
somewhere between Manassas Junction AM
Gainesville. Thus far did know the relatiy
position Of the forces of General p. and tn
enemy. My belief was that the road be
tween Manassas Junction and Gainesville eithe
passed by the right flank Of the enemy or wa
occupied by that flank of the enemy, and tina
General P.'s march, If pursued, conducted hr
either TO the right flank of the enemy, @
passed the right flank Of the enemy toward hi
rear.
In compliance with a request of the accused
Gen. Pope pointed out on the map the relatiy
positions he supposed to have been assume
: by Gen. Porter's corps and the force of tn
enemy. He stated further, in answer to a
inquiry, that the accused was expected I
attack If possible or practicable, the right fan
r of Jackson's forces; and, II possible, the rea
to have prevented the junction Of Longstreet
and Jackson's forces, and to have crushe
jackson before Longstreet could effect jun,
. tion with him. At the time the order of As
p. IN. was issued, did not believe, nor do
now believe, that any considerable portion
7 Longstreet's corps had reached the vicinil
of the field.
@. When you issued the order, how long dl
you suppose 1t would take TO place II in po
session of the accusedi
{ A. suppose about an hour.
@. Did the accused, as far as you know,
$50 p. m, or between that and O'Clock, hay
the enemy Immediately on his frontf
+ A. do not know, except from the reports
others; but / think ii altogether likely tn
Jackson pushed out some forces TO observe Il
road between the James river and Manassi
Junction. 1t is altogether likely, therefor
that some of Jackson's troops were in the pre-
ence of Gen. Porter's division; though, of N
own knowledge, do not know that.
Q. State, If you can, whether Mcdowell
7 line of march, made under the joint order
( the Goth, which took him to Grovetown, d
not necessarily carry him to the rear of u
column of the accused, and make him marc
In that direction, past the line Of the accused
. A. understood from Gen. Mcdowell, subs
quently, that Gen. Porter, with his corps, was
, little in advance on the Sudley Spring road,
little to the west of the junction of the Gaine
vile and Groyetown roads,
O. Ifthe statement of Gen. Mcdowell, as r
CARDS the position of the accused, was accurat
was he not at that time on the road which