Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-12-05
COURT MARTIAL. OF GEN PORTER

Gen. Pope, yesterday, in giving his testi-
mCny, stated that he had issued an order On
Gen. Porter late I'm the afternoon of the e7th-
Greeting him 10 move forward with his com
m; nd at O'Clock that night 10 the position h,
q en- occupied at Kettle Rnn, the urgency be-
ing that Gen. Hooker had had a severe contest
with tie enemy. and was out Of ammunition.
NE road Was IN good condition everywhere,
and Genernl Pope thought q, n Porter with
proper Cxertions- should have reached him in
INIT, instead Of 10 oclock next morning when
Ee dc comr up. Gen. Pope then, after review
hE 'he pos mon OF The almies- oI the 18th Au-
gust, continues:
'.As TO The orders that were sent on the 9eth.
hLCiEG that Gen. Porter did net comply with
49, ~ isg 9l-patSn which he
thai, II Ms Jutelhent Inc tf,-aG i,.sa shIS,nise
ing cn the road that he was occupying, and
stai ing that il appear 10 him, from the fire
that lie Lad fe-n isteL Ing 10 on the ba tle-f1eld,
Eat CGr fCrO S were retire ating and the enemy
advancing, hs had determined 10 fail back 70
Manass.s Junction. and recommended Gems
Mcdowell ard King to send back their trains
also. shortly aItrr r.ceiIing this note, pur-
porting 10 lie fTcm G'n. Porter TO Generals
Mcdowell and King, j sent an order TO Gen
Porter, directing him, Immediately upon the
receipt Of The order, TO march his whole COM
nsc nd 10 tie field of baItle. and 10 report TO me
III PEI son fer orders. stated to him that ex-
lC,t' G him 10 Comply strictly with that order
put II III such foim, perhaps, as was not en-
trely courteous, because i had understood
t1t n. fOr,Pr, Ol;ol TWO seNeral occasions pre-
vious, l. have oisob.yed the orders that sent
him. The Iirst Of these orders was superseded
by the che issued TO Gen. Mcdowell subse-
qu'nuy.'
Gen. Porter failed 20 obey this order also,
although Gen. Nc Dowell who had an equal
distance to march, fully obeyed il, and came
up in time. Gen. Pope says -" Had Gen. Por-
Ia fallen on the flank Of the enemy ar any time
UP 10 eight O'Clock that night, as il was hoped
he would, il is my firm conviction that we
should have destroyed thewhole army Of Jack
son."
On the cross-examination nothing new was
elected except the following important dispatch
from Gen. Mcclellan To Gen. Porter:
WGr DepGT;msRt, Sept I, Is62-S.30 70. m
NGj. Gen. FfE John Porter, Cons mdEd;na Ssx6
Army Corps. CesftreriLle. Fc.-General ash
YOU for my lake and that Of the country and OF
the Army of the Potomac, that you and all my
fri, HGs will lend the fullest and most cordial
cooperation 10 Gen. Pope in all the operations
now going On. The distress of our country ard
the honor OF our arms are AT stake, and all de-
peLds now uron the cheerful cooperation OF
all i'm lie field This week Is the crisis Of osr
fate. Say the s;1ne ihin0to all my friends in
the amy. The lest request have 20 make OF
them Is that tor their country's sake they viii
extend 10 Gen. Pope the same support they Ia ye
ever accorded TO me. z.
lam in charge of the defences OF Washington,
and am doing all can 10 render your retreat
safe, should that brcome necessary.
GEO. IL. MCCLELLAN, Maj. Gen. ". g A.