New-York tribune., 1878-10-12
MOVEMENTS OF UNION TROOPS.
TESTIMONY IN THE PORTER INQUIRY.

TESTIMONY IN THE PORTER INQUIRY.
GENERAL MCDOWELL CROss-ExAMINED FURTHER
EVIDENCE FROM GENERALS JOHN C. ROBINSON,
CARR, DEEMS, MINDED AND OTHERS
In the Fik John Porter case yesterday the
cross-eIaminatioD Of Maor-General Mcdowell re-
sumed The withdrawal OF Kings Division from Grove
ton the witness testified, must have involved COM
piete cnange In General POpes plan Of the campaign.
That plan had been to nterpose between the force Of
Jackson and that OF Lee, which coming the for
iners relief. The withdrawal OF Kings Division
thwarted that purpose, aud made against any or
ders given by the witness The movement suggested by
him TO General Porter would have required about an
hour for Its execution. The witness had moved his
corps to the right TO take position the left Of Rey-
nods and expected that Porter would have engaged the
enemy by the time that the corps had reached Its place
IN the line. He had Indicated TO General Porter the d-
rectOn OF the movement to be made but corps
mander Porter left to his discretion to the
form and manner Of attack.
General Mcdowell was asked by Mr. Choate, who con-
Quoted the crossexamination II he expected General
Porter should alone engage the enemy. The question
was repeated several times. although General Mcdowell
replied in general terms that Porers engagement with
the enemy would have been made as a part
Of the conflict along the line, which at that
time may have been fought mainly by artillery. To
the question that Instantly followed, H his expec.
tation that General Porter alone should engage tho
enemy while nothing but artillery was engaged, the
witness said. It's too absurd"
General Mcdowell remembered meeting the staff off,
sent by General Pope with the 430 order TO
Generm Porter, but confessed his inability to FIX the
between NEWMARKET and Groveton. His troops had
passed up the sudey road but had turned on to the et
son due 10 the extreme exhaustion Of the troops,
rs they had marched day and night
patch to General sSe S dated Iiso & August a
which said that understood that large force I'M
the following day, The diHDatch first made
lie at the Mcdowell court OF inquiry January T. 1858,
It claimed in behalf OF General Porter on the pre-
In regard to his report Of November O. 1862 made to
General Pope his superior in command the witness
ignorant that IT did not reach the War Department
for the delay When the witness met General Porter gu
the Manassas road, on August 90 the latter had the
latest orders from General Pope. His march,
ing toward Manassas, while POrteTs troops moving
toward Gainesville.
General John C. Robinson who commanded brigade
I'm Keaneys Division. testified 10 attack made by his
command and portion OF Brneys Brigade0n the rebel
Jeff dank on the afternoon Of August 30 The flank
doubled back, and portion of the ground gained was
held during the night
General Joseph g. Carr who commanded brigade In
brigade ordered to relieve part OF SiGeps Corps
M n m and two hours later tho res OF the brigade
was pushed forward and became engaged at once The
contest very severe, aud his loss very heavy pnt
appearance of the field when his command reached u
about uOOu, indicated that the battle hdd been IN pro-
Grncra James NJ. Deems, formerly General sigel's
staff, testified hat artillery firing began about a. I'D
aud General MlrOy had been hghtng from early In the
morning. having gained JscEsOu's rear the night before
Solomon Thomas, corporal Of Company J., ism ltcSi-
mont Massachusetts Volunteers, which was part or
Murtindacs Brigade o. horels Division. testified con-
ccmiug the march along the Gauesyile road to Daw-
kins's Branch, where tue 18Th Eew-NorK wac thrown
our a. skirnshcs while the rest OF the troops depioyed
TO the right where they lay uutl about D. At that
time the troops began tho march down the
road toward Manassas. On the road an OIL
Ger met General Porter and gave blm
an order and at ! the order OF march was changed,
and the troops when near their nrst position, DN-
ouacLcd for the night on the left OF the road They
heard on the ght shout that they recognized as the
sign nal OF Il charge,
6ieueraI GrOTse W Minded, Assistant Adjutant-Gcn-
eral General Kearneys stan gave clear account oi
the movements OF the division the extreme right OF
the Army Late IN the afternoon, after attacks by
schuiz'r and l., HaUkIs Divisions had failed kearney
Division was ordered t. attack. andcAr1cd bach the
encny's left flank The ground gained was had durtDg
might