Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-01-23

to march to Centreville, out of the way of the
field of battle, and there to remain during the
entire day of Saturday, the 30th day of Au-.
gust. This at or near Manassas Station, in
the state of Virginia, on the Goth and Both
days of August, 1862.
Specification 5.-In this, that the said
Maj. Fitz John Porter, being nj or near
Manassas Station, in the state of Virginia, on
the night of the Doth of August, 1862, and
having received from his superior and COM
handing officer Maj Gen John Pope, the
lawful order set forth in the specifications to
this charge, did then and there disobey the
same; and did permit one other brigade at
tached to his command, being the brigade
commanded by Brig.-Gen. A. S. Pratt, to
march to Centreville, and did thereby greatly
delay the arrival of the said Gen. Pratts brig
ade on the field of battle, of Manassas, on
Saturday, the 30th of August, 1862. This at
or near Manassas, in the state of Virginia, on
or about the Doth day of August, 1862.
CHARGE 2.--Violation of the 9th article of
war.
Specification LIN this, that the said Maj
Gen. Fitz John Porter, during the battle of
Manassas, on Friday, the 29th day Of August,
1862, and while within sight of the field, and in
full hearing of its artillery, did receive from
Maj. Gen. John Pope, his superior and COM
handing officer, a lawful order to attack the
enemy, in the following figures and letters, to
witt
HEADQUARTERS IN THE FIELD,
August 29-45 p. NJ.
MAJ. GEN. PoRTER-Your line of march
brings you on the enemy's right flank. | de-
sire you to push forward into action at once
on the enemys flank, and if possible, on his
rear, keeping your right in communication
with Gen. Reynolds. The enemy is massed
in the roads in front of us, but can be shelled
out as soon as you engage their flank. Keep
heavy reserve, and use your batteries, keep
ing well closed to the right all the time. In
case you are obliged to fall black, do so to
your right and rear, so as tokeep you in close
communication with the right wing.
JOHN Pope,
Major general commanding.
which said order the said Major General
Porter did then and there shamefully disobey,
and did retreat from the advancing forces of
the enemy, without any attempt to engage
them, or aid the troops who were already
fighting greatly superior numbers, and was
relying on the flank attack he was thus Or
dered to make to secure a decisive victory,
and to capture the enemy's army, result
which must have followed from said flank at
tack, had it been made by said General Por-
ter in compliance with the said order which
he so shamefully disobeyed. This at or near
Manassas, in the state of Virginia. on or about
the 10Th of August, 1862.
Specification Pin this, that the said Major
General Fitz John Porter, being with his army
corps on Friday, the 29th of August, 1862,
between Manassas station and the field of a
battle then pending between the forces Of the
United States and those of the rebels, and
within sound of the guns, and in the presence
OF the enemy, and knowing that a severe &C
ton of great consequence was being fought,
and that the aid of his corps was greatly need
ed, did fail all that day to bring it on to the
field, and did shamefulIy fall back and retreat
from the advance OF the enemy, without any
attempt to give them battle, and without know
ing the forces from which he shamefully re-
treated This near Manassas station, in thu
state of Virginia, on the 2Sth of August. 1862.
Specification 3.-In that the said Major
Gen. Fitz John Porter, being with his army
corps near the field of battle of Manassas on
the 18th of August 1862, while IA severe bat
tie was being fought by the troops of Major
Gen. Popes command, and beng in the be-
lief that the troops of the said Gen. Pope were
sustaining defeat and retiring from the field,
did shametully fail to go to the aid of said
troops, and did shamefully retreat away and
and fall back with his army to the Manassas
junction, and leave to the disaster of pre-
sumed defeat the said army, and did fail, by
any attempt to attack the enemy, to aid in
averting the mistortunes of a disaster that
would have endangered the safety of the capi-
tai of the country. This at or near Manassas
Station, in the state of Virginia, on the 18th
of August, 1862.
Specification 4.-In that the said Maj. Gen.
Fitz John Porter, on the field of battle at Ma
naSsas, on Saturday, the goth of August, 1862,
having received lawful order from his supe-
rior officer and commanding general, Major
General John Pope, to engage the enemy'S
lines, and to carry Il position near their CEN
ter, and to take an annoying battery there
posted did proceed in the execution of that
order with unnecessary slownesS, and, by de-
lays, give the enemy opportunities to watch
and know his movements, and to prepare to
meet his attack, and finally so teebly fell up
on the enemys lines as to make little or no
impression on the same, and did fall back and
draw away his forces unnecessarily, and with
out making any of the great personal efforts
to rally his troops to meet the sacrifices and
to make the resistance demanded by the i'm
portance of his position and the momentous
consequences and disasters of retreat at so
critical a juncture of the day.
B. S. ROBERTS,
Brigadier general volunteers, and Inspector
general Of Pope's army.
A true copy j. HoLT, Advocate General
And the court martial found him guilty on
each of these charges, and that all the specifi-
cations were sustained save the last, which
was abandoned. AT four o'clock Wednesday
. afternoon the president approved the finding.
Gen. Porter first heard of his fate casually
about five o'clock from a correspondent of a
New York paper. When told that .he was
that moment dismissed from the service he was
powerfully affected as well as astoundcd. He
had only yesterday applied to the president
for IL leave of absence.