Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-03-06


Such persons as are clamoring for
q re- eopening of the case of Gen. Fitz
John Porter have either forgotten
the facts, or are in sympathy with
the rebel sentiment in the late war.
For the benefit of the former class
we give brief relation of the cir.
cumstances which led to his dis
grace.
The battle of Manassas occurred
soon after Gen. John Pope relieved
Mcclellan of the command of the
Potomac. Gen. Fitx John Porter
was not only violent partisan of
Gen. Mcclellan, but an ardent hater
OF Pope. For this reason the sue
cess of the latter was the last thing
to be desired. The position of the
rebels on the eventful day Of Manas-
sas was at junction of the roads
leading from Centreville to Grove.
ton, and from Manassas Gap to the.
same point. Pope, with the main
army, occupied and formed across
the Circleville road, while Porter,
with his corps, were on the Gap
road to the left, and a couple OF
miles in the rear. 1t was the pur-
pose of the rebels to get to the rear
of Pope, cut him off from his base
of supplies, and at the same time
destroy his army and that of Porter
pieccmeal. Early in TIE day, Pope
sent an order to Porter commanding
him to bring his corps along the
Gap road to his support-thus frus-
trating the effort of the enemy to
flank him, and at the same time CIV
ing him sufficient force to win the
day. Fighting with all his might,
and contesting the ground inch by
inch, Pope waited in vain for the
arrival Of Porter. At last, several
hours after the original order had
been given, he dispatched an order
ly to Porter to learn the reason for
his delay. That orderly found Por.
ter at his post of the morning,
stretched upon the grouud, with his
head leisurel y resting upon his arm,
the thunder Of Pope's artillery re-
sounding in his ears, and the guns
Of his own corps stacked in their
camp! Astonishcd at this unex-
planned and unwarrantable conduct,
Pope sent second pcremptory or
der for his insubordinate lieutenant
to obey his instructions. For hours,
while the carnage went on, and his
army was being slaughtered, he
waited fer the execution of this or
der, but no Porter appeared. Again
he dispatched an orderly to ascer-
tain the cause Of delay. Again he
found Porter, this time mile a: the
rear, but with no apparent purpose
to move up to his support. Enraged
beyond expression at this astonish-
ing insubordination, Pope seized
his pen and swore by all that was
holy that this man should be shot
right there upon the field for DISC
bedience to orders in the face of the
enemy. While he was penning
the order, however, he was impor-
tuned by number Of his staff to
try the effect of one more last de-
mand. This Pope consented to.
The third and last order was sent
to the recusant officer. Slowly and
reluctantly he moved up to the front
But meanwhile night had closed In,
the battle had been fought and lost.
BY sheer force of superior numbers
Pope's gallant army had been whip
ped, his position had to be surren-
dered, and the day was disgraceful-
ly and ingloriously lost. The testi-
mony is conclusive, however, that
had Porter's corps marched prompt
ly to the front when ordered, the
result would have been exactly re-
versed.
1t was this state Of facts which
the historic court-martial which
tried Porter was confronted with.
That court-marshal was composed
of men Of the highest rank and the
most undoubted ability. 1t was
constructed, too, Of several Generals
we'll known for their friendship to
the accused. There was Hitchcock,
who stood godfather to him at his
baptism, and whose close relation
and esteem for Porter he regarded
as almost disabling him from an
impartial judgment. There was
Casey, an old veteran ofthe regular
army, and the well-known author of
a standard work on tactics; and
there were Hunter, and Prentiss and
Garficld-all tried men and true,
and all anxious and ready, il the tes
timony would, under any circum-
stances, permit, to acquit the distin-
guished officer Of the unutterable in
fanny with which he has stood charg-
ed. The facts, however, rs above
related, were proved, circumstan-
TALLY, directly, overwhelmingly.
What other verdict could be render
ed than the one from which Porter
vainly seeks to be relieved? He
only had small, unworthy unsol.
dierly, contemplate jealousy and
hatred of the officer in command of
the field. And to bring disgrace
upon that officer, and saddle upon
him the odium of defeat, he sacri-
feed Pope's army, lost the battle Of
Manassas, put back the cause Of the
Union, and discouraged the people
Of the North almost beyond fecov-
cry.
The only fault to be found with
the finding Of the court-martial in
the Porter case, was its extreme
and unwarrantable lcniency. The
man should have been brought into
the presence of his corps, stripped
Of his epaulettes before their eyes,
and shot on the CHi'go. Pest.
Mild Winters.
The mildness Of the present sea-