The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-07-13
GENERAL PORTER's CASE.

GENERAL N. r. PATRICK, MR.. FISHER A.
BAKER AND GENERAL BUCHANAN TESTIFY AS
TO GENERAL PoRTER's coNDUcr-coRRoBo-
: RATION OF PREVIOUS TESTIMONY OF PoRTER's
BRAVERY AND LOYALTY.
WEST POINT, July II, 1875
As,ho opening Of the Porter hearing this morning
Brigadier General NJ. r. Patrick, who commanded
brigade IN Kings division, Fifth Army corps was
called to tho stand. His testimony showed That pre-
v,eus to and about DARK tho 10Th there seemed 70
DO considerable confusion among the Union troops In
tho voin,,y or warrsnton pike; his brigade joined
rortcr's corps IN the morning on the march
from Manassas TO Gainesville, and passed
TO point beyond Bethlehem Church, but
he was attsrward ordered 70 march 70 she Sudiey
Springs road; then he received order after order.
sometimes by Mcdowell, once BY one Of Popes stan
officers then again BY Mcdowell. III about DARK,
wnen his brigade got mixed NY witA rsoei soldiers,
near Groveton. Relating to Portsr's battle on the
3osh he said the hardest days lighting he ever
On his crossexsmination no stated that on the 30th
he reported 70 Pope and Mcdowell that column OF
troops mad fallen buck 70 gainesville IRON the woods.
but mat largo number oil rebels still remained in the
WOODS From This, he saia, Pope and Mcdowell
strongly inferred that the enemy was on the retreat,
while no thought Otherwise.
70 General schoaeid witness stated that he heard
NO heavy muskery hring on the 29Ih I'LL near even
ing when King DIVISION anu the Harris light cavalry
made attack, and no also said darkness came quick
tEAt night. a..
niiicant because II condicted seriously With Popes
despatch 10 haleck The morning OF the 3Oth and
with evidence OF previous Witnesses
NEW YORK LAwYEH'S TESTIMONY.
Mr. F,sher A. BAKER. = lawyer VI New York, who
was adJutant OF the Eighteenth achuselts. A.
tscheu 10 the First brigade o MorelPs DIVISION 10
1861 testified thai The march from Warrsnton Juno
on Brissos. on the 21th was as rapid as possible
| and he considered That they marched just
| as tar, starting At that hour, as II iney
aaa n,sSs he ever saw his three oxperi
once In The army. This was put 10 10 snow that, d.
though Porter didn't obey Popes order 70 march a.
one A. NJ no got just lar by starting his troops AZ
daylight he would have got II ne had obeyea the
order, lbs extreme darkness having induced MIN to
dsIuy He tessisd his br,gads IN line OF bat
lie Iii the aiternoon OF 29h and they bvouacked
In line Of battle all that nigot therc WIS only skir
Twice taI afternoon; The onsmy IN front OF them
loroe and there was no retrsaing or falling back
| the Kecorder objected 10 the latter testimony as
| improper, when Mr. Built addressed Inc Board.
Among other tninRs he said mat General Porter mad
ceoo,ng iurtner when General Schonsid interrupted
HIM by saying that there was no need Of any argu-
ment Inc question being, Is the witness an expert as
to me meaning Of the word retreat The question
should be, "Was there anything In the nature Of re-
| Board admitted it, when the witness said, "rhers
| was not; very far from It," he heard nothing that
day indicating heavy Dattlo thl buhsey Whsn tnsse
! was q brisk lring, which lastsa some little time.
All this was cOrroboratvo OF previous testImeny,
| which showed Pope must have been much mistaken
| as 10 hrs conclusions Of the situations.
Witness described the hghtng by forters corps on
the SON. and said ne Porter at Tho front, and he
was acting as vigorously he could. doing all he
could do; ali battles Of the WAf which wtnoss
experienced moulding Gettysburg, Fredericksburg,
AnLietan, SC, that was the hottest; IN twenty MINI
| utes out oil $50 men Ia his regiment ne lost l4O
This part ihs evidence was introduced 10 retute
the CHI Porter his corps would not hght
a. GENERAL BUcHANAN's EvIDsscE
General R. q. Buchanan, colonel and brevet gen.
eral in tho army, RETIRED and who was In command
OF the First brigade, regular Infantry In Sykes'
division, Fifth CORPS testified that the order 70
march al one o'clock A. n. from Wsrrsnton juno
t,on Brstoe changed 70 thrse A. H. because Of
the excessive darkness, Tho report being that an
orderly had 10 get down on his hands and knces to
nnd the road; he aid not think the march could
I'M " been A. N. because OF the nature oil
tne ground; on the Goth there was neither retreat
ing nor withdrawing, put some countsfmafcning
line battie he heard no hrng 70 his right that DAY
indicating I battle, and was much surprised
nexI day 10 hear that IL had been
SO reported. When asked again II thore
that day replied, II will not only gay there
was noRc but the very ia0a Is absurd ~ thero was
no cause Tor one." The witness, when nsked what
Porers conduct on the 30th replied as follows.
sHis that OF perfectly cool, coileoled
man. very indeed, 10 achieve success In what
we were about and showing great deal OF excellent
tudg aud military skill throughout LIE day Al
other his conc uct was always that Of Jealous
ofcor thoroughly loyal 20 his cause and anxious 20
make It successful IN every possible manor. In
critical emergencies under nrc never saw him ex-
cited ut any time. Ho was perfectly cool on all 90.
cas'ons ever mad an opportunity ~ meet him."
arrive ana whom that lact announced the hear
ina was adjourned TIL Tuesday next II ten "A. n.