The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1863-01-30
Gen. Fitz John Porter.

Gen. Fttz John Porter.
Gen. Fitz John Porter, who has boon sum-
marily dismissed from tho army, was cadet
from New Hampshire, leaving the Military
Academy in lS45. lie was made First
Lieutenat in ls47, and tho samo year Brcvet
Captain for. gallant conduct in tho battle Of
Molino del Roy. At tho battle of Chepul'
tepec he won the honors of Brevet Major
He was wounded at the Belcn gate, at the
taking of the City of Mexico. After peace
with Mexico, he was Assistant Instructor ol
Artillery at the West Point Academy up to
the commencement Of the present rebellion.
He was warm personal friend of Gen. Nc.
Clelan, and was his leading division COM
mander and counsellor. It is alleged that he
moved reluctantly to tho support OF Gen.
Pope when his command was transferred from
Mcclellan, and that his dilatory movements
caused the disasters to our arms which 80
nearly cost US the capital. The charges
against Gen. Porter are thus summed up by
tho Tribune:
~. Disobeying, on the 2sth Of August,
ON order Of Gen. popo, then his superio,
officer, directing him 70 bring his .corps z
help Hooker and Others il wiiat'is nsv
known as the second battle Of Bull Run.
2. Disobeying another order Of Gen
Pope on the day following. directing him to
make certain movements.
8. Totally disobcyns very important or
ders as to tho movements Of his corps while
the battle was in progress on the said e9th
Of August.
4. Disrcgardins pcrcmptory order from
Gen. Pope to bring his command into action
and to report in person on the field.
5. Permitting certain Of his brigades, in
defiance Of positive orders, to march back tc
Centrovillc, thus greatly delaying tho arri
val of Pratt's brigade on the field OF battle
Of the 30th August.
6. When pcremptoyily ordered into bat.
tie, no "did there shamcfully disobcy. and
did retreat from the advancing forces of the
enemy, without any attempt to engage them,
or aid tho troops who were already fighting
greatly superior numbers, and wero relying
on tho flank attack he was thus ordered to
make to secure decisive victory, and to cap
turo the enemy's army, result which must
have followed from said flank attack, had it
been made by said Gen. Porter in compliance
with the said order which he 50 shamofully
disobeycd."
7. In that. "bcing with his army corps
on Friday, the Goth Of August, between
Manassas Station and the field Of battle then
pending, and within sound of the guns and
in presence of tho enemy, and knowing that
q severe action of great consequence was
being fought, and that the aid OF his corps
was greatly needed, did fail all that day to
bring it on to the field. md did shamcfully
fall back and retreat from the advance Of
the enemy, without any attempt to give them
battle and without knowing tho forces from
which he shamofully retreatcd."
8. That "bcing in tho belief that the
troops Of Gen. Popc were sustaining defeat
and retiring from the field, did shamcfully
retreat. and fall back with his army to tho
Manassas Janction, and leave to tho disaster
Of presumed defeat the said army. and did
fail, by any attempt to attack the enemy, to
aid in averting the misfortuncs of disaster
that would have endangered the safety Of the
capital Of the country"
0: That being commanded "to engage
the enemy's lines and to carry position
near their centre, and to take nm annoying
battery there posted, did proceed In the exc
cution Of that order with unnecessary slow
ness, and, by delays, give tho enemy dppor-
tuni.ies To watch and know his movement,
and to prepare to meet hio attack ana no
did finally 50 fccbly fall upon tho enemys
linos as 10 mako little or no impression, and
did fall back unnecessarily. and without
making any of the great personal efforts to
rally bis troops to meet the sacrifices and to
mako the resistance demanded by tho impor-
iance Of his position and tho momentous
consequences and disasters Of retreat at %
critical junc.urc Of tho day." uaJ
The Court Martial consisted Of Maj. Gen.
Hunter, President; Maj. Gen. Hitchcock,
Brig. Gems. Rufus King, Prentis, Ricketts,,
Casey, Garfield. Buiord and Morris, tho Hon.
Joseph Holt, Judge Advocate General, act