Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-06-26
The West Point Inquiry.

The board of officers in tho Filz John Porter
case mot at West Point yesterday, and agreed
to receive General Porter's statement Mr..
Maltby, of counsel for Filz John Porter, COM
mcnced his statement in behalf Of his client.
He traced tho march of General Porter from
Hsrrleon's Landing on tho Potomsc, to War
renton junction, wuere after two weeks Of in
cesasnt N .rchlng and labor, General Porter's
corps joined Genera Popes command, on Au
gust q leG2; the addition OF PorJer's 10 Pope's
command D,lng on FoItsr's own motion. He
said new evidence would be introduced 70
strengthen tho point that Porter's exhausted
command better Carried out the spirit Of Pope's
order of that hight by marching at 3 O'Clock in
The morning thai had they marched at I Il. n,
that the charge Ct dlsobedience of this order
WAS only q make weight to the more serious
charges as to later conduct; that other Generals
mad failed TO carry outtho letter of similar order
issued that night without comment; that no Dad
effect Was claimed to have followed this alleged
disubedience; that the joint order to Porter aud
Mcdowell was eX-cuL.d fully and comp etely i;
Did that his halt va, enforced by the spirit Of
the Joint order and by Mcdowell lsklng
Klug away and leaving Potter with 5000 men
10 hUld III check and prevent the throwing Oh
Pope of 20 COO men under Longstreet; that
Pope did not know of L"ngstreet's presence
that Porter old, and produces additional te5tl-
mony showing that knowledge and that pre-
seucc; ltaL Porter did not knOw that any Dattle
saved an artillery duel Was In progress till about
dark and that new evidence Of this would be
introduced ; that the orders Of Porter-which
were not available for evidence 1t the former
trial and were now read for tho first time-show-
cd his understanding, resulting from converse
ton with Mcdowell and other sources, that no
battle was to take place that day, and that any
indication of O retreat by Pope's main army WAS
to be followed by PoIter's retreat. and that
neyg line WAS to be formed behind Bull Run,
there TO give battle; that no order or report WAS
sent to him till late that day by Pope. showing
deSire for him to attack or give other AID than
that afforded by holding the enemy in his front;
that Porter could not 60 TO Pope's aid. because
King and Ricketts,, under Mcdowell, filled the
direct roads, and the intervening country WAS
too rugged for crossing in the face OF the enemy
thus presenting his Aank TO lie turned; that
this movement would at any rate have been
improper that Porter made no retreat, Of the
making of which he WAS found guilty; that
Portel's nowly produced dispatches show not
the lstlessness of disaHectod General. with
which he was charged, but tho energetic snx-
iety of General Jealous for the COM
mon veal OF the whole army. Maps show
ing the actual position Of Porter and the
enemy, and also Pope's erroneous location OF
Porter to tho rear of Jsckson's right. Long
street not being set down by Pope wore pro-
duced and commented on by Mr.. Maltby, who
will conclude his speech to-day, beginning with
tho consideration of the charge Of disoboylng
Pope's order Of half past four o'clock y. M,
Augusti9, 1862.