National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-02-11


facts in the case. or from some other less ex-
cusable reason. that aid has been and b
being freely given. e
We have referred to this subject before
this in most unmistaken terms. but have
treated solely in the light ofabstract justice.
We have warned Porter's friends that their
attempts would be unavailing. and that .
revision Of his case would but serve to re-
new the just indignation against him. which
followed his conviction. Regardless Of this
warning they have persisted with such
force and in such way as to make it .
party question. They seem to have forgot
ten that the court martial before which he
was tried was composed of officers Of the
army, whose integrity was unimpeachable,
and some of whom have since then reached
high and honorable positions in civil life.
They also seem to have forgotten that at
the time of the trial the nation had not set
tied down to decided acceptance Of the
stern and vigorous effects of war, but that
even then the sentence pronounced upon
him was denounced as insufficient. His
recreant delay in obeying the commands OF
his superior officer cost thousands OF hvee,
millions of treasure, gave the fair fields OF
Maryland and Pennsylvania up to the raw
aging raids of the rebel armies, and Ger
tainly prolonged the war beyond the time
when it should have naturally exhausted
itself The most casual student OF the dis
astrous campaign known as second Bull
Run must acknowledge this. Mcclellan
was Withdrawing from the Peninsula. The
forces with whom he had contended 80
long, and whose proves was far above the
average of modern soIiery, were thereby
enabled to concentrate upon Pope's army.
The first battle of the series which
followed this movement is known to his
tory as Cedar Mountain. 1t was fought
a few miles beyond Cupepcr, and although
General Banks, who was in command of
the Union troops, held the field, he was
unable to check the march of the rebels
around his right flank through the Pied
mont region, and finally through Thorough
fare Gap to the plains of Manassas. Those
who were present in the Valley of the Rap
pahannock will remember the hot August
days, when through the lurid atmosphere
could be seen the rising dust from the
march of Stoncwall Jackson's command as
it passed Waterloo bridge and sinuously
wound its way behind the hills of Salem. |
Pope knew that this column was the i'd |
vance guard of Lees entire army. He laid |
his plans to destroy it. History will vindi- |
cate the wisdom of those plans and fix |
upon Porter the stigma Of having failed
them. Rapidly Withdrawing from the
Pope was able to attack
jackson at Kettle Run. near Bristoe's Sta
ton. This was Hooker's fight, and q gallant
one it was, too, lasting until Hooker's anu
milton gave out. Immediate disposition
was made to prevent reinforcements from
reaching jackson. Thoroughfare Gap was
held by Ricketts, division of McDowelps
corps, while the remainder of Pope's COM |
mand, including Kearney's, Hooker's and
Reno's divisions of Heintzleman's corps,
were ordered to concentrate with Porter's |
at Gum springs, to which place
jackson had retreated. But Porter failed
to come up in time as ordered. Longstreet
succeeded in forcing his way through the
Gap, jackson was reinforced, and on the
10Th of August the disaster of the second
Bull Run began. IfPorter had obeyed the
orders sent to him by Pope that disaster
would never have occurred, Jackson would
have been annihilated, and the loyal peo-
pie of the country would not have been
subjected to the bloody losses of the subse-
luent campaign in Maryland and Pennsyl-
vania. All these things and more will be
proven anew if a revision of the case should
no ordered