New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-01-12
THE PORTER COURT-N1ARTIAL.
Gen. Porter,s Personal Defense.

read au elaborate delouse, ana WIS IOloWcu ny tno
Hon. Reverdy Johnson another Of his counsel in u
paper Of g similar character.
The reading of these papers being concluded, Gen.
Porter arose. and delivered the following remarks in
his own defense:
Mr.. PRESIDENT AND GESrLEnES; My defense
is now concluded. Before, however, | deliver 1t
into your hands, hope to be indulged in some re.
marks more exclusively personal To speak OF
oneself, in terms OF commentator, IA always uu.
pleasant, and is generally agan,t the laws OF good
taste but there are occasions when II becOmes uI'
avoidabe. The sensibilty which it then wounds
must submit to the infection because higher sensi-
bility demands the sacrifice. When a soldier
honor is impeached, his loyalty assailed, and
even his cJwardce Naturalization the saiety
of bis country is said TO have been Iurposely
and causelessly bszarded by him, in the indnl-
gence OF some low, petty, contemplate motive. u
cannot DO expected that Lie TO be restrained by the
delicaCy which belongs 20 the ordinary intercourse
between gentlemen, II bis past LIE gives the lie to
the charge; if IL eXhllUs conduct totally IncOn-
sisent with it, truth, II it speaks nature that
would revolt even NJ the thought Of the crime II II
evinces n long and penlous course of duty aud an
ardent and cycr.endurlug love OF country, constant
zeal for the honor ot its flag, and uLdying d6vo
ton to s service If in the preseni c'is Of r his
tory from the first mOmeht that uDhaliowed ainbi-
ton started on lite career OF treason he bar gwen
himscli with sleepIess vigilance aud amid countless
hazards, 10 do what be could 10 put down tho foul
hctCl1 aud ftiilsiatc inc Vi
meut IT, until the unfortunate Virginia campaign
OF last Sumner bis services were approved by tbs
public, BY his brothers ~ arms, aud slsnally nc
know led sei by the Prc-dcnt-ifthc.e facts are true
Of mv.elf, then NAV be well excused for proudly
invoking them sn snswer 10 the false aud ground
iEpuatOns upon my duty and honor ne n citizen
and n colder. What, then, has been my history
Fu,f. ! seyed, tleh being n mere youth, IN the
Mexican war tLfougl cut the res, endent aInpaigu
" Licu'. Gen. Scott aid wa actively engaged III
tie ieyeIal battles of Ne Cruz, CerfO oOidO, Con.
lrefhs, Moline del Roy, Chaluelec, and the Ci1y
Of Mexico entered on that service rs breyet
Second Lieutenant, IN Regiment oi ARTILLERY, anu
was DTeyeted Captain for ditiins nshed service
Ia the battle OF Molino del Rey. and AZ Major FOR
like service 10 the battle a. the city Of Mexico.
S,rold In February, l'1l Wa ordered by the
then Secretary Of War, Mr.. Holt your Judge AG-
yocae to proceed % Texas FOX tie puIose q with
7 drawing AS many Of tho troops Of tie uoed siatss
~ could flom that State and thereby connieiact
ing as lar possibc, tie cfe. OF The then recent
= uue&amI led and bnsc iroacAsy OF G,a. Iwigss.
: Amid great difficulties aud muol len.Jnn' psIi!,
: succeedsi ~ rrsrninC seven ComPrnirs, ia Hl DO
d. IL, a. aud m posting two o. then VI TortugS, Two
at Key Wet. and taking three 10 New-Yoik. The
whole duty Was performed TO the perfect laisiac.
ton Of the Department.
IArd. ia MAY, ls6l, was commissioned a.
r Colonel IN the Regular Army, and IN August IL
Bigadi,r- General OF Volunteers, and aiterwarI
served throughout the Peninsglp campaign under
Mai Gen. Mcclellan. At the siege OF Yorktown he
Of Hanover Court-Ionso ! commanded corps, now
, the tiith Corps VI the Army Of the Potomac. in
Guiding all tho RegulaIs
In the battle OF Gaines Mill, my command being
about n COO, os, in killed, wounded and missing,
, 9 900 men--a fact which tells the severity ST the
conflict.
La the battle Of Malvern HILL site selected by
nv self tho day before the fearful and test-srugge
y. with nay own corps, which joined by the COM
manar OF Sumner, Iioin Imam, and Couch, each OF
u.H In rlgff fnll rod
srtancc III tbcr power, amounting, Ia tie aggregate,
to sone eighteen thousand men, through the skill and
eallahry Of NY officers and the indoniable bravery
Of my troops | succeeded ia tot ally repulsing and
, with slaughter uneIamped in any modern battle
long continued, desperate aId most gaan; assaults
OF from thirty TO forty thousand OF the enemy. owl
IDENTIFY brave soldiers rs ever trcd the battlefield
For NY services At Hanover Courthouse, received
tue recommendation Of my chief r the breyet ot
brladicf general in tbe regular army hl,a ~
like Recommendation for services at ,;ainess Mills
lie brevc, OF " ma Jr general ia the regular army
THIS recommendation 10 dated the 9tA OF July, 1902
and is 80 iOOwh:
HEADqrAK sia or rns AMY % TEs PorotAcl
= CAsr SEAK HAHREOs'. Ban, July o. lta,..
r. me Hon Edrin " stanton. secretary Of Ha,.
Su. he energy ability, CALAMITY snd good conduct d..
played tnovehont The eventual pe.isd Of III, csmlasr
through 0'irh We have Pss.ed By Biz Der. j. Porter
dr.vyr to- naked Executive aud Of tie ~.
ton from the Fcry commencement bs unweAed sduiy
iu - lrous due., the intelligent ana oca,iou.
inch he hn' rendered ne under al eircup'atcc. h- skill
iul management OF he commit on The march, on III. siege
tie held VI battle and bic chvsrc ind sodrg b.ni
in under ire have conbinsd 10 him conspicuous
among c nlny aitlf.l aud sasrt .pi1ts o. tls amy
respectfully therefore. Irro.Inel ID tfai Big ten. Fk
John loatF The bf~sr oi Ntgslitf General ia tine
irsuis. a., os Hanover top.. !lcI- MAY xsn and tue
lTcve o iJlrGeuefs la th' regular suy Vatle
Gaiuess Mills. june iA
have .he honor 10 be- yeiy respectfully your obsdon
servant GO. T. Met LELLAN
MeJor-t'"n-rai tonn.audiss
j. s. II iisTc another to .dd wogd &C.. a. for
,he Dl..c u Mai:Cra. The lat tcipes, ln tt esu
oi on-sscnue.t IN the Onpai-u AID much credit
be to Sen Potter tor ms ki gaaHtiy, and
dlrt ma ,rcs-io..
II there be- any icitcy among ths genera o'cs the
ton h, maze sid the ssli1r, be Displayed DO i.ak
hcsIsay but from IcIs.na oDse sution. Would tlat
the county had NOR seusral Office, lie him.
/ ORC. H. MCCLELLAN, " sJor Oruega! Commanding
true copy T.. ID. TOWNSEND,
Assistant AdItanf-G-uersL
.idjaidat GeH,,ofS tMee. UaAmef,H ian. g. 1872.
Prior 10 The receipt b. the Hon. Secretary OF
War; OF this letter. | hsd, unsolicited, been pro-
noted, by the President, MaOr.ienerl Of Noluu-
tcors anu "a Bfeyrt Brigadirs-tieuera in the regular
army.
May not confidently refer TO ibis testimonial IA
of itseh ccDiutaiiOu Of the caumnies with which
reckless Ignorance or Interested malice have iot
months underworld 10 MI the public ehri
Traitor TO my country! When did treason 20
endeayor to maintain Tie authority OF IT. Govern
meut
Traitor TO my conntfyl When did treason 30
|. Dor and peril lie To- rescue it from des,ructlonI
Z, Traitor 10 my Country-iud flcreni 10 the honor OF
In iag-gruti yibg supposed persoai dislike, re-
/ gardless 81 tie safety ana reputation OF the men
! intinsicd 70 ny command, aud who hhd followed
me ana nppaIenlly with even increased confidence,
~, 4, nriesl-Ihe fra LaltIeA