Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-02-25
For the Waterman.
Fitz John Porter, ct al.


Nssrs Editors From an article in your
last weeks issue notice that, as usual for
several years past, during the sessions Of Con
gress, certain individuals are endeayoring
through the newspapers to awaken sympathy
in favor Of Fit2 John Porter, in order to inau-
ence Congress to grant him another trial, after
the testimony Of his treason has been forgotten
by the general public. Il seems therefore the
duty Of those who were knowing Of the spirit
which prevailed among certain portion Of our
army officers at the time when Gen Pope was
in command Of the Army of Virginia 10 put
their evidence on record.
At that time there was amongst many Of the
officers almost all West puiuters) a determin-
alton that, if they could prevent it, the army
should accomplish nothing, unless McClel-
Ian was in command Immediately after tie
second battle Of Manassas, and while the enc
my was marching towards Maryland the writer
heard West Point officers in the Union Army
openly express their satisfaction that Pope had
got good threshing
Although Porter was made a scape goat for
the sins Of the whole Mcclellan clique, and
perhaps was a little more openly disobedieDt
than the rest, he was no greater traitor and no
more deserving of hanging than some others
who were never put on trial
For several days before the concluding battle
of Pope's campaign, two corps from the Army
of the Potomac were encamped near Alexan-
dria. Unless the writer is mistaken, they did
not start to cooperate with Pope until the
morning of the Goth Of August. Pope's guns
could be plainly heard, and he was anxiously
expecting them, but such remarkable care was
taken to prevent the men from getting IA
tigued, the pace was 50 slow, and the halts
were so frequent that they did not reach Cen
terville, about twenty miles from Alexandria
and six miles from the battlefield of the 30th,
until the evening of the Both, after the battle
was lost. One Of these corps, which was ia
nous for its steadiness and fighting qualities.
under another commander some months later,
made march of over thirty miles in less than
a day, to assist at another important battle
IL these two corps had been at Centervile, as
they might have been, on the evening of the
29th, the enemy would have been surrounded,
and might easily have been beaten by yigor-
Gus cQmbiped attack from all sides, provided
the corps commanders had co-operated as heart
lily as those did few months later. under
Meade and Grant.
Not long after the publication Of the order
cashiering Porter, the writer had occasion to
visit the rebel lines, and while there, formed
the acquaintance of a rebel general, who had
been educated at West Point, and was formerly
an officer in our regular army, and an intimate
friend of Mcclellan and his clique. lie, of
course, was strong partisan Of Mcclellan, and
thought nobody else fit to command the Army
OF the Potomac. lie warmly defended Porter,
and in the course of his remarks gave the gist
Of the matter more tersely than the writer ever
heard it expressed by any Union officer. lie
said that Pope was detested at West Point rs
lying braggadocio, and no gentleman :" and
that " when he was placed 10 command of the
army, such gentlemen as Porter and McClel-
Ian, and other friends, could not, and would
not, bring themselves to obey his orders" 1t
did indeed seem at that time as if number of
prominent officers preferred to see thousands Of
lives sacrificed needlessy, rather than to do
anything to help Pope.
If Pope had possessed the military genius Of
Bonaparte, with such feeling among his prin-
cipal officers, he could have accomplished moth
ing and It Grant had commanded the army as
simple Major General, without the authority
to change his corps commanders as he saw fit,
he would probably have effected no more than
Pope, Burnside or Hooker.
We understand that Porters family and
friends are influential, wealthy and persistent !;
70 1t il not by any means impossible TINT even.
tually he will get reinstated In his old position,
to the exclusion Of some infinitely more deserv-
ing man, who does not happen to be graduate
OF West Point, but whose only claim to promo
tion is faithful service in his country's cause
during her hour of trial. VOLUNTEER,