National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-01-03
FTZ JOHN PORTER AGiLN.

zaine i'm France has had the effect TO pro
woke much comment in this country, which
has included many references, by way Of
comparisons, to the case of Fitz John Por'
ter. 1t would be unfair to say that the
comparisons have been just; but it is unfor'
tunate for Porter that they have been
evoked. His friends would show the wis,
dom of discretion if they would keep silent.
Their efforts now to show that he was q
martyr have naturally renewed the discus
sion of his case. Bazaine was soldier OF
the empire, and saw nothing in the republic
to admire or to love Porter. soldier in
whom our republic had placed great trust,
proved false, not because of a change OF
government, but because of a change OF
commanders Loyal TO Mcclellan and
disobedicnt to Pope, which in effect was
disloyalty to the Government. Bazaine
forgot France when Napoleon fell, and
Porter forgot his country when Mcclellan
was removed. But here the comparison
ends. The politicians Of this country res
cued Porter from deserved punishment,
while Bazaine, although his life has been
spared, suffers punishment and disgrace
which is the next thing to death. Al
though Porter's offence may not have been
SO instantly disastrous as was that of Ba-
zaine it cost the country millions of mopcy
and thousands of noble lives. 1t prolonged
the war; it enabled the rebels TO bcleaguer
Washington, TO devastate the fair fields Of
Maryla land, and it introduced into the army
a feeling Of dissatisfaction which resulted
in dsgraccful and dcmoralizing contests
among brother officers. All this followed
from his refusal or neglect TO obey the
orders of his superior officer. Looking
back, as we can now, 10 the experience of
the later years of the war, his crime be-
comes more apparent than it was pending
his trial Then VIC knew but little of night
marching or Of forced marches, and per
haps many Of US were willing to accept his
excuse that the night was so dark that he
could not march; bul now We know better
and the excuse appears TO be so ridiculously
puerile that il would provoke laughter,
were it not so unblushingly criminal 1t
must be remembered that he failed to reach
the battle field until the morning of the
Goth of August, when he should have
reached it twenty four hours before, to
say the least On the night of the
2Sth. Kings division met Long.
streets corps at Gainesville, after it
had pushed Ricketts, out of Thoroughfare
Gap. Stonewall Jackson was at Gum
Springs, in Pope's rear, and Longstreet's
effort was to relieve him from threatened
capture. History will vindicate the wis
dom of Popc's plans. His object was to
capture jackson, which he could have done
ii Porter had come 10 his support while
Eicl;cits yet held ThorouShfarc Gap. But
Porter failed, and after King had disabled
the advance of LongStrcct's corps, in the
fjglit " hich th" rci,cls called GrovetOn, and
at Y Inch General Ewcii lost IA lee, Popc's
Iians we're foilcd. LonGstrcct succeeded in
.cilccting junction with jackson, and tho
second battle at Bull Run began. On the
morning of the 2ath Morrells division of
Porter CORPS reached The battle ground on
which Kings division had fought so man.
fully the night before. but the arrival was
too late Ricketts, had been driven back.
Gibbons Iron Brigade, with Two regiments
of Doublc,lay's, had fought IN entire corps,
holding it in check for two long and bloody
hours. Seigel, though in supporting dis
lance, had not been engaged, and the enemy
had slipped away behind the Groveton hills
to begin the combined attack on NcDOwells
shattered lines. Even then Porter did no,
fight as he was wont TO fight under McClel-
Ian, and while McDowclrs command bore
the brunt of the battle IN the Goth and 3Gth,
only one brigade of Porter's magnificent
command become engaged beyond some in
significant skirmishing. Then followed
the midnight retreat, the battle of
Chantilly, where gallant Phil. Kearncy
lost his life, the capture of hundreds and
thousands of prisoners by the rebels, the
raid into Maryland, the bloody fights at
Sharpsburg, South Mountain, Funkstown.
and, finally, the retreat of the enemy back
into Virginia. This is, briefly put, the his
tory of the consequences which followed
upon Porter's failure to aid Pope in his
effort to concentrate his forces for the pur-
pose of capturing Stonewall Jackson at
Gum Springs. No unprcjudiccd man can
read it without a conviction that Porter's
punishment has been lenient indeed Let
his friends and admirers remember that the
facts, as here stated, are based upon indis-
rutable proofs; upon official records, in
cluded among which are the sworn state
ments of officers who, on duty during
the entire night of the 9th of August;
were able, notwithstanding the darkness
which prevailed up to ten O'Clock, to ride
miles through strange country to elude
the rebel yidettcs and to deliver orders sent
from Briscoe, by Pope, to Kcamey, Reno
and Mcdowell at Greenwich. Let them
remember also that such men as Heintzle-
man, who fought with one division of his
corps (Hooker's) against fearful odds at
Briscoe on the 26th, waited in vain for
Porter, and that while the wagon trains 4
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