The New York herald., 1878-09-16
AN INTERVIEW WITH MOSBY.

WHAT THE EX-CoNFEDARArE COLONEL REAEM-
DERs OF TIE PORTER cAsE-HIs FIRST SUR
RENDER
From the Washington Post Sept 1871
The Iost paid Colonel John s. Mosby visit yester.
day and found him perusing his as Consul
to Hong Kong, which he had just received from the
State Department.. "YOur original appointmen ut was
to Canton, wasn't 1t, Cooncf" inquired tho Post
"Ycs, but didn't like tina, place, and got the dc.
partment to change me To Hong Kong, which is worth
five times as much as Canton Hong Kong is on the
coast OF China, at the mouth Of the Canton River
aud is really the Liverpool of the East. 1t was
quircd by the British GOV in the opium war; in
ls4i, and is entirely under British juri sdic.ion
There is governor general there, and It Is governed
just like Canada great many wealthy merchants
resido there; 1t Is the headquarters OF the Brush
Navy, and is, fac mos. desir ablo place to ve."
.Wnen Will you start, Colonel. Tor your now resi-
denceS" Early In December. Our Court OF Appeals
doesn't meet ~ Richmond until December, navo
will leave Tor Hong Kong as soon As am through
with those arguments" "By the way Coionol, said
the Post, caangipg tno subject somewhat abruptly,
's H. true that you bore cualepee from General r.
q. II. smith 10 General Bev, Robcrtsony" ''No,
that is not true. saw that stated In one or
smith Came to me about tao matter, but l askcd
10 be excused. and have heard nothing more OF
ings in the Fritz John Porter inquiry" questioned
the IosL Yes; have road the pubiishsi reports
with considerable interest," From Obsurya-
uons on tue frontier, how do you account Tor Con.
era Popes mistake ia reporting heavy battle 40
29tn, wnen there was no enstsementT "But there
was engagement, ana a Very heavy one, too. Popc
IL right upout that" ''Why, a dozen or more vii.
nesses have sworn there no battiey" III know
they have, and they have ali made a mistake. Tnese
witnesses have been describing what oe cured on our
(the Confedsrate right and there battle ere
that day. The engagement was on our lett, aud
know II was heavy ono, Tor was IN IL, on the
oxiremc left jackson, A. l.. Hill ana Start fought
there, aud Hilis corps was very large
ing, perhaps, ten thousand men Longstrect was
The right, and mad Just got his Up, thero
ncsses are honest ana really believe they reported
the situation correctly, but they dad KNOW wnat
gong the extreme lelt. To assure myself
that could not be mistaken recently examined the
reports oil Generals jackson and II III and their sub
ordinate officers, and theso reports confirmed my
recollection oil the date they reported heavy Gu
gagemcnt our left that days Pope was right about
that, was captured In Pope's campaign, by that
incident have pretty clear recollection OF events
which occurred about that time; have no special
friendship Tor GeneTai Pope but that Is ths truth
"Werc you handled pretty roughly?" ''0h no; was
treated ceverly, aud was exchan ged
within ten days" "Did they know VINO you wsrer',
was smply Lieutenant on General Stuarrs
stan at the time. Ii Was before became a partisan
commander. was put Ia Old Capitol Prison, and
tue next day taken 70 Pops's headquarters. He had
just been assigned 10 tho command OF tho army anu
had not gone to the front. hts headquarters we're
near where the War Department now is, and his
famous headquarters.in-the- saddle proclamation had
just boon issued. At his headquarters met Gene raj
4. Z. II. Smith Tor the 1rst time, and have becu
to make friend in that way ~ IL think not General
smith was very KIND TO me. Why, the best friends
new have are mon whom captured during the war.
The best frenu ever hDd was Jeb stuart"