Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1863-01-30
WASHINGTON, Jan. %, 1868.

WASHINGTON, Jan. %, 1868.
Fitz-John Porter cashiered and Penn.
Clarke unanimously confirmed paymaster in
the United States army with the rank Of
Major, was mighty good piece of antithetic
news to the Iowans here, last night OF
Etz-John, especially of his villainous visage,
l believe have before spoken in this cores
pondence. The charges preferred against
him were Of the gravest character, fastening
upon him, in fact, the responsibility of the
loss of the last battle of Bull Run, and that
not by reason of incompetency or the hap
pening Of untoward events, over which only
splendid military genius could avail, but be-
cause of sullen disobedience of orders
which, occurring in the face of the enemy as
it did, could only have been the result Of a
conspiracy to take from Pope the glory of a
victory which should effectually squelch both
the rebellion and Mcclellan. Such was the
nature of the charges preferred by Pope, and
the accused, after the most searching investi
CATION and elaborate argument ever known in
military courts, has been found guilty of CIV.
| cry charge. The Court was composed of tried
soldiers-Hunter, Hitchcock, Casey, Ricketts,
Rufus King, iPrentiss, Garfield, Buford and
Morris. Joseph Holt, Judge Advocate Gene
raj of the Army, was Judge Advocate of the
Court. Porter's counsel were Reverdy John
son, of Maryland, and Charles Eames, the
best military lawyer Of this city. A tribunal
more digni6ed, prosecution more important,
defense more able, have rarely been witness.
ed in any country, in any judicature. 1t was
his thorough knowledge of this, 70 doubt
which caused Porter himself to thin thun.
derbolt had struck him when the finding was
| announced.
The finding is terrible condemnation o.
Porter not only, but vindication of Pope, as
a soldier, and of the campaign of the Army
of Virginia. That campaign brought Nc
Clellan safely out of the Peninsula, where
forty thousand lives had been lost in vain
A feint at first, but necessarily feint mos
formidable in sound and fury, it drew the
rebels from Mcclellan and saved his army
ninety thousand strong, from utter annihila
ton. The campaign did, in fact, save the
Union cause by saving the Army of the Po
tomac, the loss of which at the time woulG
have compelled peace on such terms as jeff
Davis might have dictated And then, had
Porter done his duty, had the Army Of the
Potomac under Mcclellan been half so earn
est in saving Pope as Pope had been in say
ing Mcclellan, the tables would have beer
completely turned, and the rebel army DIES
troyed But that would not have apotheosized
Little Mac even for ninety days, and the con
spiracy prevailed for time. l thank Goo
the conspirators have been brought down al
last.
The city has been alive with ten thousand
rumors about movements on the Rappahan
mock for several days, but as yet we are with
out definite intelligence, except that the main
army has crossed the river and that Burnside
has issued stirring address to his troops, as
though on the eve Of general engagement
We are, therefore, in great suspense, from
which we may be relieved by the time this
reaches the Alleghanies, but it may not b.
so soon. The weather has been as bad as
possible for three days, ana the cloud:
still threaten a continuation of storms. i
would be idle to speculate upon the probable
tiles of great victory, but it will be more
likely to be with US than it would have beer
before the disgrace of Fitz John Porter
There were not few officers in the Army O
the Potomac bent on running Burnside, a.
Porter was on running Pope. Porter's fat
may lead them to better course, as some
become Christians more from fear of hell thar
love of Heaven. Barring treason in our owl
army, Burnside can whip Lee. Fighting
Joe Hooker could whip him, any way, though
about the first thing he would do would be t,
send certain officers to the lear, under order!
to give up their arms and ground their shoul
der-straps.
This community, whether enormously o.
not, has settled down in the opinion tina
Ben. Butler is not to be placed in an impor
tant command, contrary to the opinion which
was generally entertained when he was frs
relieved by Gen. Banks. shall regret it i
it be so. Benjamin F. Butler has exhibited
more ability both of thought and execution
than any man whom the Nations struggle
for existence has brought into prominent pc
sition. While Scott was fussing around
planning to take Baltimore with thirty thous
and troops, the people of that city suddenly
saw themselves at the mercy of Ben.'s gum
on Federal Hill. He had opened communi
cation between the National Capital and thu
loyal States with two regiments Of volunteer
and couple of batteries. He did the job be
fore the mighty plan of Scott was fully con
ceived. He cut the gordian knot of runaway
niggers and dispersed the perplexities o
Cabinets by simple announcement-con
band Of war. He saw the importance of Ma
nassas, and proposed to occupy that key tt
Virginia before the capture of Alexandria hat
been decided upon by the authorities. I
would have saved hundred thousand live
and wounds and five hundred millions o
money. His splendid administration Of at