New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-05-31
Hoods Teran had come mp forming the extreme right Of
tenrytrees line. Yet further Stuart with portion

tongstreets line Yet further Stuart with poftion
OF his cavalry.
This seems to settle the question Of the time when
Longstreet Joined Jackson andtb Longstreet did not
front Gen. Porter at any tmei but StuarfS cavalry
further on had held him. with 5000 fresh troops
In idenesS and nacon, although within sound oil the
musketry at Groyeton all the afternoon OF the 29tn-
Sweeping away stuart's two regiments OF cavalry,
he would have fallen on the flank of Longstreet and,
by vigoro' blow, he could easily have routed bis
exhausted columns and enabled Pope to have signal
ICED his battle on Friday by the rout of Jackson's
army, and probably its capture ABB
But Mr.. Swinton should know that these questions
of time about Longstrees forces the forces in front
of Porter have no bearing whatever on the finding OF
the Court Gen. Porter was tried for dsobedience OF
Pope's 'er in not attacking Jacksons right and rear
on Friday, the Goth. He was found guilty Of that dis
obedience. and on that finding was condemned II,
however, he had proved to tho satisfaction OF the
Court, all that Mr.. Swnton now claims to have dis
covered in this unconscious testimony given by the
Confederate Generals" his guilt would have been
greatly aggravated by such proof; and the probability
is that his sentence would have been death. II it
true that Longstree had joined Jackson as early
noon the reasons for the by FzJohn Porter
were made the stronger and there would have been
no justification for any delay or failure in doing so
even if the express order Of Gen. Pope had never
reached him.
Mr.. swinton has undertaken too much. To bolster !
up the reputation of the first General that commanded
the Army Of the Potomac. and to restore Ftz-John |
Porter to the confidence Of the people, will be an up
hill business for the selfconsuted historian Of the
Army of the Potomac He will find it an equally hard
task to shake the confidence of the country in the
Northumberland who directed its operations in its
browning glories before Richmond and Petersburg
and at Appomattox CourtHOuse But be has adroitly
attempted these three great tasks and the value of
his book will be greatly damaged by the undertaking;
for in both he will sgnay fail to shake the strong
convictions of the public mind Of the righteousness
of the verdict, rrevocably sealed.
Mr.. Swinton has quoted from Longstreet words
that fatally strike Porter and make his condemnation
more lasting than any words of the Court or wit
nesSes before it. Longstreet says:
vile The march quckened to the extent Of capacity
The excitement OF battle seemed to give life and strength
aded and the head Of my column reaehed
position 10 rear OF the eneuy's left flank
That noise of battle was also heard By Ftz-Jobn
Porter; and the head of his column much nearer
to Jacksons right and reer than the head of Long
streets column. But that noise Of battle did not
inspire Ftz-John Porter, with his fresh troops, to
quickened march to 90 to Pope's relief or to fall
nponsLcngstreet's jaded troops" whose exposed
lank passed his front, and whose columns he could
have pierced at any point between Gainesville and
jroveton And in this was Fiz-John Portsr's great
,rimc. The solderly instincts that urged on the
" jaded troops" Of Longstreet, when they heard the
noise of battle afar off," did not appeal to the heart
If Porter, who, nearer to the exhausted troops of
Pope struggling for the Life Of his army and tho safety
If the capital, yet lay on his all the afternoon
If the 10Th, and made dalliance with Stuarts two
egments of cavalry and one light battery in his
ront The solid sentiment of loyal men still is, that
7iiz.John Porters guilt but partially punished by
he sentence Of the Court.
Mr. Swnt0n again forgets, or negects to refer to-
Unconscious testimony" produced before the Court
hat doubtless had weight in fixing the guilt of
itzJohn Porter than any testimony of the witnesses
the prosecution however convincing aud clear that
nay have BEEN But if Mr.. Swinton lorgets the spirit
# Fitz-John Porter's teegraphic dispatches to Burn
ide and Mcclellan, from the very fields of Pope's
hardest fought battles, the country will not. Neither
will the country forget the animas of his words to Gen.
Mcdowell on the afternoon oil the 18Th, wnen tnat
General said TO him, Porter, you go in here tonight
nd will 20 on to Groveton;" and FitzJohn Porter
eplied, Ii go in there, shall get into fight"
The significance of these words could not be mistaken
" the Court; and the country did not msinterpret
hem In them, and in Porters dispatches, his inten-
ions were better disclosed and the spirit that hung
IS pail on the $1,000 veterans he restrained from
aunching themselves upon Jackson, more unmistak-
,y illustrated, than they could have been by any
words of witnesses. They the words of his own
mouth, and the real expression of a heart sealed
ganst suggestions of duty or the inspirations ofth
ound of battle, by personal vindctiyeness and trea
on against his commanding General
These were the eloquent witnesses that weighed
With the Court; and their unconscious testimony"
las irrevocably set FzJohn Porter the seal of
,xampled guilt and crime.