The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-02-16

ments and reflections should he wasted; brit Caving
gone to the front and found such action unnecessary
Imagine you will concur with me AZ to their inap-
There Ia no evidence on the record. nor can any
be produced 10 slow that my command retreatet !;
but, to the contrary, II renamed all day where Nc
Dowell left me, save when moved TO induce lndi-
cate I'M uttack. When, therefore, Gen. Pore saws
pretended to believe his forces had been driven,
IN order 10 have an excuse for the withdrawal OF
nine, he docs INC no harm, and only compes n more
universal belief In his now thoroughly established
inhrmiiy.
TIC article Of Gen. Pope's. further to provo Por.
tcr's misconduct the 29th Of August, 1864. cites
rom the rebel Lieutenant General Il. j. Jackson's
official report of the second battle OF Bull Run, ~
Follows: "1hc Federal infantry, about o'clock in
tho evening, moved from under cover OF the wood
and adsanoed IN several lines, first engaging tho
rcht, but soon extending Its attack TO the centre aud
lett. In ftw moments our entire line engaged
IN fierce aud sanguinary struggle with the enemy.
AS ono line was rcpulted another took ts place and
pressed forward, as II determined by force OF mum.
bcrs and fury Of assault TO drive US from posi-
ton SO t'ppetuoas and rel sustained uere Ness on
ss az TO induce me 10 send 10 ne Commanding Gen.
erdf for reiqforcepents, but tie HD,ofy dsd gallant
Trance y Csn Longstre,t on ne righf retered my
nSS re S SS ne Rre'Ss e SSSrndng ms
men the chances Of a nor. equal conflict. As Long.
street pr, ssed upon u right, the Federal advance
whole line was ordered. Eagerly and iercely did
each brigade prees forward, exhibiting In parts OF
.he Held scenes Of encounter and n1rderogs strife
Commenting on the foregoing. Gen Pope said:
" 1t seems, then, that jackson was 10 hard driven
by that army which Porter considered defeated, that
he could not bold HE ground, aud sent 20 Gen. H. IL
Lee for reinforcements. But Lee. according 10 the
testimony Of the chief engineer on his staff, took
breakfast that morning on the opposite side OF Tho
roughfre Gap, full thirty miles dlstrnt, and II was
utterly impossible TO reinforce Jackson before a
Ss whole affair would have B,Sn ended wh,
then. saved Jackson from n disastrous defeatf
Why the very troops taken from in front OF Porter
when lie deserted tile fod."
N Porter. 1
TO take the imitation by stating as fact that the
port OF Gen. jackson refers TO the action OF the
next day august 30), and the troops ~ho were
"impctuous" were my troops. commanded by me,
whom Gen. Pope charges as having the day before
been IN n frame Of mind OF for any wicked purpose.
Porter adds that II Pope could prove that this
test took place on the fsa Ire. wcud convict HIM
self OF graf insocuracy in his testimony before tue
court martial aud Ia his official report to the Conn
mlttee on the Conduct Of the War, wherein lie said
"Ibelcyc-in fact, am positiye-that at 3 o clock
on the 29il, Gen: Porter had In has front no con-
ri oruble body Of the enemy l believed then-as I
am very sure noN-tat II was easily practicable for
linn to have turned the right flank OF jackson, and
We would have gained a decided victory over the
army Of Jackson, before he could have been Joined
ty aIy Of the forces OF Longstreet, &c, sc"
Now, 1 submit" says Porter, "that Longstrcet
could not nave been engaged at 2. NJ. OF the 29tu
August, In saving Jackson from disastrous defeat
BY taking troops ffom in 'front.' OF me- those troops
Popt's testimony, they did not begin 10 arrive tl
sundown on that day, and were coming on the Geld
Gen. Porter concludes his reply TO Gen. Pope as
follows Without the slightest disposition TO avail
myself OF any technical point that could be raised in
my favor submit that on account Of Gen, Pope's
course aud asefuns grave doubts arise TO whether
my 1al was ~ accordance With the act OF Congress
OF May -, 1880, which states:
Whenever general onhcer commanding On army,
or Colonel commanding a separate del srtment
shall be the accus OF prosecutor OF any oncer in
the army Of tle United States under his command,
the general court martial for the trial o! such orcer
shall be appointed by the President OF the United
States"
Now. Gen. Pope, In his protest OF Sept. 10, 1867,
against u hearing OF my case, came forward my
-c,user and pros cutor In his report To the Com
mitsre on the Conduct Of the War, he says con.
sdcred 1t duty l owed TO the country TO bring
FiZ joan Porter TO justice. With his convection
-. d punishment ended all oiiclAl connection have
src9 lad with anything that related to the
operations conducted In Virginia"
..c 'citcr Of the article may perhaps not have
bren violated cgt 10 spint Its violation was per
ioCtcd, for II Gen pcpe Wa 'he "Gccuser D, ose-
cntor," - he nos appears, then my Court should
have be'u uppolaiea /. The fTsEident and not by
no Gener4f4n.C hicL