New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-02-12

| and follow the course which he actually followed
| with the approval of his own Judgment Mr.. Porter
also labors TO defend himself against accusations
based on the motives imputed TO him for his alleged
| derelictons of duty. and on the "animus " of his
dispatches during the period in question. lie admits
that in his dispatches, at the time of the battle he
did dstrust the ability" of Pope (who commanded
| the army to conduct the campaign, and manifested
confidence" in Mcclellan twho had been removed
| from commandl; but. he adds, Because indicated
the inevitable results of this campaign. Gen. Pope
unus,ly claims desired and worked for them.'
| The document which Mr.. Porter, in his last pam,
! phlet addressed to Gen. Sherman) styles Popc's
ReoiRde1' TO his appeal. is not published over the
signature of Gen. Pope, but it bears internal evl-
dence of its authorship In its statements it is
ceedine1v minute. 1t presents n diagram of the field
| Of operations marking the Union and Rebel lines,
tbo postion of Porters corps and the military points
related to the actual ground Of contest. After ind-
eating tho situation" on the first day of the
! battle 1.-THE day of Porters alleged dcrelictioI il
| refers TO the strength and efficiency of Porters
corps. which numbered 12O0Omen or about One-thrd
of the whole army. including nearly all the Regu
lar regiments and being the best disciplined corps
in Virginia In the morning Porter was ordered TO
move forward to point GAINESVILLE where he would
have been on the Rebel flank and and about
noon Popes attack on the encmy's main line was
begun Porter, however only advanced a short part
Of the distance, when he came to halt and stacked
arms-the battle being in progress on Popes main
line some three or four miles Off. Between and
clock in the afternoon, without yet having cncoun-
tered the enemy, he sent dispatch 10 Gen. Me-
DOwen. who also commanded a separate detachment,
saving that as the Rebels appear to have driven"
our main army back, he had determined TO retreat,
aud he suggested TO Mcdowell that he too, should
:. 10. NDoa
not look rs though Porter considered himself subject
to Gen. McDowells orders. and it is certain
that the previous order TO advance had been given
him directly by Gen. Pope. Porter. however, did
not lctreat; he merely remained inactive. Upon
this point Gen. Pope in the "Rcjoinder' aSsas him
with great feeling referring 10 bs unsodeTly idea
of decampihg at a moment when inc believed the
Union army, OF which he was a main support. was
suffering defeat. At o'clock, two hours before the
battle closed for the night he received from Pope
peremptory order TO push forward into action at
once on the enemys flank; but this order also lie
failed to carry ont. the consequences OF which fail
ulo were destructive Of the fortunes of the day
Pope had been waiting anXiouSly for the sound Of
POrters guns intending, npon hearing 1t, TO move
forward en- mosse against the enemy but the guns
were heard neither by friend nor foe. Ilere again
Gen Pope is moved TO great anger in the
"Reioinder" He SAYS that Porter might either
have attacked the enemy in his front or FASTENED to
the assistance of the main body, Which he believed
10 ne suffering defeat. But his orders explicit
and whatever force confronted him, his duty was
unnistakable. :" How cond he know lsays P"p@l
tor what purpose he ordered to attack the enc
myT How could he know that the General Com
handing expected his attack to he sucCesslnl3 How
could he know that his attack was not ordered that
he might prevent the enemy from reinforcing by
I;s nj taiv limo which
were being too hard presscdi How could he know
that his attack was not intended TO draw forces from
other parts of the enemys line Of battle, that an
attack elsewhere could be pressed with successf In
fact the order sent him contemplated and provided
for lis repulse in its last paragraph In truth leel
ashamed TO offer argument on such subject TO
any military man."
But Zone challenges porter's evidence rs TO the
strength Of the enemy in his front He too, brings
forward Rebel testimony. quoting the reports OF
LongStrcct and other officers to show thar PorteIs
failure TO attack according to his orders enabled the
enemy to withdraw troops from PortcI's front and
concentrate them against the sOrlyFressed lines OF
Pope 1t was the very troops says Pope which the
Rebels took from Porter front when he deserted his
ground vhich saved them from defeat in the main
action Pope cain becomes cry warm AZ this point,
charging Porter with beng guilty of zone Of the
most enormous military Gincs," for Which there
can I've TailiaiCn, and One adds any act
OF the Government which shall tend 10 make it APP
pear less arocious i. deep wrong 20 every faithful
officer on the field. well the seveest blow
| given 10 military discipline or the honor of the
| army.
! Cen. Pope closes the "Rtjondcr" by saying that
| POrtCr's conduct must be explained of two
! t,ieoIcs !. Incompeencry and cowardice; or g
deliberate Jreachery, with view to bring about the
defeat Of the rest OF the army. As Porter brought
| testimony 10 show that he had been brave and skill
! ful in previous campaigns Pope charges him with
the design Of trcachery aIisinc from hatred of the
/ Commanding General Pope, and quotes proof of
| tai, Porter's dispatches from the field. "A these
dispatches were written IN the face Of the enemy, in
| the midst Of severe fighting in which he alone was
| not engaged. They are without parallel in mill
tory history for personal male Violence false state
mu.t. insulting inslnuaion. aud bad manners, and
,hoy, from FIST to last bis OniA6s and the intentions
which he finally carried ont" "1be more the ques
ton is looked into tie worse II will prove for Porter
/ These ale TOpc5 closing words n the "Rejonder"
| The last printed document this subject IN my
possession is brief reply by Porter 10 this rcjonder
| N only deals however. with some secondary points
| which ! have rot thought IL worth while Ia men.
tIOn offers nOncw evidence OF material IN Iftafo
| 10 II . 1aii u pal accusation.
The CAS- seems 10 he one Of great importance 10
The army and It's discipline: 20 The GOUrnmont Ind
the assertion of authority t. tie country ana inc
| enforcement Of it's laws. ! have therefore 2lyen
! place 10 the new points and Arguments 5iun@Lt Tor
wand both sides sluco inc decsi0h o. the case oy
| Nj Porter arreais for n Reorganization of the
! proceedings Of tnc tourt-N aftid which condemned
! him ! leave IL 10 pJbilc intelligence l" dtclHc
whether his new evidence ldati.cs tins demand. lie
also appeals 10 President G!..d remit Tie sentence
QisuVa.i ing lim forever nom holding any once
under tho Government. and 10 nominate bih 10 me