The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-13
FTIz JOHN PoRTER's DEFENCE
More Testimony Discreditinu Gen. Pops's
Account OF the second Hull Run.

WEST PoIST, July 12.-At the opening OF
the Porter hearing this morning Brig Gen. VI.
r. Patrick, who commanded n brigade in Kings
Division. Fifth Army Corps. was called to the
stand. His testimony showed that previous to
and about dark on tho Goth there seemed to be
considerable confusion among tho Union
troops in the vicinity OF Warrenton pike.
His brigade joined Pope's corps in the morning
on the march from Manassas to Gainesville.
and passed to n point beyond Bethlehem
Church !: but he was afterward ordered to march
TO the Sudlcy Springs road. Then ho received
order after order. sometimes by Mcdowell. once
by one Of Pope's stnr officers. thon again
by Mcdowell. until about dark. when his brigade
got mixed up with rebel soldiers near Grove
ton. Relating to Porters battle on the 30th. he
said II was the hardest fighting he ever saw On
his raminntion he said that on the Both
he reported to Pope and Mcdowell that n
column of troops had fallen buck to Gainesville
from the, woods. but that large number OF
rebels still remained in the woods. From this,
he said. Pope and Mcdowell strongly inferred
that the enemy was on the retrent while he
thought otherwise. TO Gen. Schoneld witness
snid that he heard no heavy muskclry firing on
the 2Ath until near evening, when Kings Dvis-
ion and The Harris Light Cavalry made an at,
tack. and he also said darkness came quick that
Fisher A. Baker n lawyer. Of New York, who
was Adiutnnt of the Eighteenth MASSACHUSETTS,.
attached To the first brigade Of Morcl's dlys-
ion in 1862. testified that the march from War
renton Junction to Bristol on the 27th was MS
rapid Ms possible. The order To- march was
given ut 3 A. NJ. and he considered thnt they
marched Just as far starting ut that hour MS II
they had started ut A. NJ. for II was the dark
est night he ever saw in his three yours expert
cnre IN ia" army.
This was put in TO show that although Porter
didn't obey Poprs order to march nj A. NJ, he
got Just as far by starting his troops ut daylight
as he would have got II he had obeyedthe order.
Witness described the fighting by Porter s
corps on the 30th and said he saw Porter Mt tho
front. and he was doing all he could do. or all
the battles Of the war which witness oNperi-
enced. including Gettysburg. FREDERICKSBURG.
Antctam. &C.. that was the hottest. In twenty
minutes, out of $50 men in his regiment, he lost
40.
Gen. II. c. Buchanan. n Colonel and Brevet
General in the army. retired. and WIS in COM
mand OF the First Brigade. regular infantry. in
Sykes's Division. Fifth Corps, testified that the
order to march at | A. NJ. from Warrenton
Junction 10 Bristol was changed to 3 4. NJ. be-
cause of the excessive darkness. the report
being that an orderly had TO get down on his
hands and knees to find the road. He did not
think the march could have been made at \.
NJ. because Of the nature of the ground. On
the 29th there was neither retreating nor
Withdrawing. but some countermarching
II there was anything in the nature OF n retreat
| that day. witness replied: Il will not only say
there WIS none. hut the very idea is absurd. as
there was no cause for one"
Gen. Gihbon was expected TODAY. but did not
| arrive, and when that fact was announced the
hearing was adjourned till Tuesday next. al
| 10 A. NJ.