The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1878-04-21
FITz-JoHN PORTER's CASE.

A military court Is soon to convene at West
Point hy order Of the President, and at the
urgent solicitation Of Fitz-John Porter. to
reconsider the case OF that officer who was
ceshiered, with perpetual disqualification,
for disobedience OF orders at the second battle
Of Manassas. which occurred August 90, 1862
The charges upon which Gen. Porter was
tried and convicted were preferred by John
Pope, who incurred on this occasion at the
hands Of Stonewall Jackson the most dis
graceful defeat of the whole war upon either
side. Ever since that day, In fact, Pope has
been laughing stock with all the old SOL
dIers OF the Confederate Army Of Northern
Virginia, and the rhetorical war bulletins
with which he heralded his shameful defeat
have only served to put on record his utter
incapacity and worthlessness as q COM
mander. The protest we made the other day
against the re-opening OF this question, on
the ground that Pope was the best commits
eary the Confederacy had, and that by cones
should be by-gones, was based on history, and
It has always been source Of wonder to the
sConfederates who fought him at tho Second
Manassas how he contrived to hide his own
incapacity by overwhelming with disgrace SO
gallant and able an officer as Fitz-John Por-
ter. Yet this he did do, and by convincing
acourt-martial, composed, presumably. of mill
tary men, that the disaster he mot with at
the second battle Of Manassas was due to Por-
ter,s disobedience OF orders In failing to attack
Longstreet, who held the Confederate right
that day.
Ag we understand it, Porter does not
propose to deny on the re-trial that he
refused to obey the orders of Pope, but
to show that none but an imbecile
would have ordered such an attack as he
refused to make, and that to have made 1t
would have caused the rout OF the whole
Federal army and made the defeat even more
disastrous than it was. The newly discov-
cred testimony upon which Porter relies for
his own vindication, and to consider which
this court is convened is derived from Con-
.federate sources entirely, and consists OF let
ters from Gems. Lee, Longstreet, Hood, Will
cox and Early, Col. Owen Of the Washington
Artillery, and others, who participated In the
events Of that day, on the Confederate side.
This testimony is all to one point and con-
elusive, and that is that Longstreet 3
corps was up and in line by Ia m.
would have been overwhelmed and the fight
OF the next day, the thirtieth. been rendered
unnecessary. Gen. Lee says that an attack
with $4,000 men, just twice what Porter had,
before IA M, would have been repulsed almost
certainly, and that is very strong language
Z for Gen. Lee. Before that hour an attack and
renulse says Gen. Lee, would have resulted
in an eattack on Gen. Pope's left and rear by
Lorcstreet and Stuart, which. II successful
would have resulted In the relief OF jackson
and have probably. rendered unnecessary
the battle of the next day" (thirtieth), or, IL
the words OF any one else than Gen. Lee
would have resulted in the total annihilation
and. perhaps, the capture OF Popes entire
army.
For exactness the testimony of Col. VIM
N. Owen, then adiutant OF the Washington
i Artillery, is perhaps, the most valuable o
any OF this newly discovered evidence upor
which Porter relies. 1t consists OF shor
note from his diary, written on the field, ant
reads as follows: ...
sAugust 29-Reached the battle field inca
Groveton) Ii 80 a. m. jackson holding tn
enemy at Sudley Mills. Infantry line form
ing to right and left OF road.
"One ~ o'clock p M. ordered by Gen
Longstreet to send two battalions forward
Took position on commanding ground to LEI
of turnpike, lately occupied by enemy
opened fire; corps all up; our troops il
line"
This note was written on the field and L
conclusive.
We have read all the testimony upon whic
Fitz-John Porter has obtained rehearing 9
his case, and we do not see how the vindica
tion he has sought so solicitously through
many years can be denied him. He will &c,
tainly have with him the sympathies OF a.
the true soldiers who fought on the other SD
on that eventful day, and simply because d
iea true soldier himself, Pope TO the contrar
notwithstanding.