Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-07-17
Fighting the War Over Again.

TESTIMONY IN THE FITz JOHN PORTER CASE.
Charles Z. Williams, aide-de-camp OF the
confederate general, d: r. Jones, who was a
1hOrOughfare Gap on the 2Sth Of August. teS
tilted before the EitZ John Porter court of in
quiry at West Point yesterday, as have other
witnesses, as to General LOngStreet'S position
in front of General Porter, on the 29th, and
gave details. He also corroborated other wit
nesSes in saying there was only artillery firing
on the 18th, except that Hood had severe
fight near sundOWn, but he made no reference
TO any general engagement. In repy to Gen.
Schoteld he said The principal firing was artil
lery when Hood and Evans were engaged.
Mr.; {. Wilcox. of Washington, commanding
a division OF Gen. LOngStreetS corps, number
ing about 5000, was the next witness, and teS-
tined that his troops were in excellent cOndi
tion on the 18th of August; his division was
the last OF LOngStreetS corps that passed
through Gainesville on the 29h; his division
did not fire shot that day, which showed that
there could not have been combined engage
ment, as was emphat1cally stated by Pope in
his dispatch to Gen. Halleck.
Robert Thompson, president of the Philadel-
phia Ialiroad company, who was lieutenant
eIsOn's brigade. HoOker's division, testified
that the night of the 9th of August was a
very dark one, and it would have been very
dlfhcut to make march from Warrenton
junction to EristOw, starting at one o'clock in
the morning. This evidence was introduced
to cOrrObOrate other witnesses whose teSti-
mony thus far has inclined to back up Porter
in his delay in responding. to Gen. Pope's
order to march at one clock that night. He
thought nothing could have been gained by
starting before daylight. He did not know of
a general engagement On the 29ih. When he
was cross-examined he said if he had received
an order to march at one O'Clock on the night
of the 29th he would have tried it, for he
always Obeyed orders.
John GibbOn, now colonel Of infantry at
Fort Smelling, was brigadier general In Kings
division Of McDOwell's corps; knew of no
general engagement on the 29th; heard artil-
lery firing and some infantry, but saw nothing
10 indicate a general battle
Stephen M. Weld, of Boston, was an ade-de-
camp on POrterS staff. This witness testified
before the cOult-martiai, and to-day gave some
new testimony, showing the blocked condi-
tiOn of the road from Warrenton junction TO
BristOw when Porter disObeyed the O'Clock
A. M. order to march. Witness said Porter
did everything in his power to get the road
clear. The night was yely dark and the roads
were bad and muddy, and, from experience,
he was able to state that force could not be
marched in any sort of order that night. In
regard to POrterS aniInuS against Pope wit
ness testified that on the morning after Pope
met Porter and expressed dissatisfaction at
the delay, he messed with Porter and never
saw him show the slightest disinclination to
support Pope, but on The contrary, never saw
him SO anxious to have everything go on well.
The witness also said Il heard no heavy fir
ing on the 10Th indicative of heavy battle,
nor did at any time see anything that indi-
Gated retreat by Porter"