The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-07-17
GENERAL PORTER'S CASE.
FURTHER TESTIMONY TENDING TO CONTRADICT
DEFINING HIM.

PURTHER TESTIMONY TENDING TO CONTRADICT
TaE FINDINGS OF THE COURT MARTIAL CON-
DEFINING HIM.
WEST Pofsr, N. Y, July 10, 1873.
Tho hearing in tho Fitz John Porter
sumed In the Academy Library to-day. The lrst
witness called Charles G. Williams. side-de-camp
OF tho rebel General d. H. JONES' who at Thor
oughiare Gap on the zsth OF August. He 10 now .
lawyer at Richmond, Va He testified, As have other
Witnesses TO General Longstreets position In front
OF General Porter on the 29th and gave detalA He
also corroborated other witnesses In saying there
only artillery firing on the 10th, except that Hood
had severe fight near shutdown, but no made no
reisrcnee to any general engagement In reply 10
General Schoned, no said tho principal firing was
artillery when Hood and Evans engaged.
Mr. c. Wilcox, OF Washington, commanding divi-
sion oil General Longstreels corps numbering about
i've thousand, the next witness, and testified that
his troops were In excellent condiuon on she 18th OF
August his division the last Of Longsrest corps
that passed through Gainesville on the 10Th his dvi
did not fire shOt that day, which showed that
there could not have boon combined engagement, as
was cmphasIcalv stated by Pope In his despatch 10
Robert Thompson, President OF the PhiIadei phia
Railroad Company who was Lieutenant Colonel OF the
115th regiment volunteers, Pattcrson's brigade,
Hookers DIVISION testified that the night OF the 9Th
OF August was very dark one, and It would have
been very difHcult to make "a march from warrenton
junction to Bristol, starting at one O'Clock In tho
morning. fhls evidence was introduced TO corroo-
crate other witnesses whose testimony thus far has
inclined to back up Porter In his delay OF Two hours
responding TO General Pope's order 10 march at
O'Clock that night Witness thought nothing could
have been gained by starting before daylight He did
not know VI general engagement on the 10Th. When
no was cross-cxamincd he said " he had received
order to march at O'Clock on the night oil the 2ytn
he would have trcd It, Tor he always obeyed orders
A communication was received from Colonel
Marshall, n Baltimore, making some comparatively
unimportant corrections IN his testimony
John Gbbon, now Colonel OF Infantry at Fort
Smelling, Minnesota was Brigadcr General IN Kings
division OF the Mcdowell corps; know OF no gensrs
engagement on the 10Th; heard artillery nrIng ana
some infantry, but saw nothing that indicated gen
stephen N. Weld, OF Boston, was an aide do camp
Porters stan This witness testified before
tue Court Martial and to-day gave some new
the road from Warrenton Junction 10 Bristol
when Porter disobeyed tho O'Clock A. NJ
TO march Witness said Porter did every,
thing In his power to got the road clear Tho nignt
IRON experi able to state that a iorce
could be marched any sort OF order that night
In regard To Portcrs annus toward Pope the witness
testified that on tho morning after Pope met Porter
expressed satisfaction at the delay he messed
with Porter. and never saw hm show the slightest
assimilation to support Pope; bat on the contrary,
never faw him so anxious TO have everything go on
we'll Tho witness also said IL heard no heavy nrug
the Goth indicative OF a hoavy battle. nor did |
any limo SEQ anything that Indicated a rotrcat by
Porter
Major George ID. Ruegles, who was chief OF Pope's
staff was the witness lie was questioned FIRST
him. and identified tho originals OF a number OF de-
spatchos written both by himself and BY Pope. Tue
JOINT order written by Pope, ami the 80 7. NJ.
order was written IRON the dctatton OF Pope.
Pending the examination OF Mr.. Rugglcr tho Board,
after hearing some additions by General Weld 10 his
testimony, adjourned I'll TO morrow.