Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-04-03
FETA JOHN PORTER.
The Board of Officers in the Case OF
General Eitz John Porter Report
the Finding OF New Evidence
of the Generals Innocence
of the Charges.

WASHINGTON, April 2.-The report of the
board of officers in the case of Fltz John Por-
ter says: New evidence, in addition to the
old, has placed beyond question many impor-
tant facts, before subject of dispute, In re-
spect to which radically erroneous opinions
were entertained by General Porter's accus-
ers, and doubtless by the court-martial that
pronounced him guilty, and has established
beyond reasonable doubt all the facts essen
tial TO the formation of a correct judgment
upon the merits of the case concerning the
charge of winch General Porter was found
guilty, of not having moved his command
on the night Of August 81. 1862. in obedience
to an order from General Pope"
The board report that it was a manifest
physical impossibility to march on tEat road
that night, that nothing could be gained by
the attempt, and that it would have been
wiser if General Porter had delayed the at
tempt still longer than he did; that he only
exercised the ordinary discretion of corps
commander, and that it was his PLAIN duty to
so exercise it. With reference to the famous
az 30 M" order, the board find that it was
not received by General Porter before half
past six on August 18th; that the officer who
wrote be dispatch only commenced to write
it at - past four o'clock; that the mes
sen@er, who took it could not have
travelled over the route which they assert
they had taken, if their own testimony be
true, that one of the witnesses concerning
this order had given manifest inconsistent
statements, and other witnesses had con-
fessed to the board that ne had deliberately
made false statements IN regard to the route
taken while carrying the dispatch, and to still
another witness on this point of his testl-
mony as to the early delivery of the dis
patch, was SO completely broken down thai
no weight whatever was attached to it. On
the other hand, the testimony as to the time
of the delivery of the 4:30 pm. order Of
such officers as General Sykes, Colonels Locke
and Monteith, and several other witnesses
| all go to prove that the order was not deliv'
cred until about shutdown, and this testimony
has been singularly confirmed by the produc-
| ton for the first time of a dispatch from Por.
| ter to M'Dowell, dated at six o'clock in tbs
| evening of the day in question, the terms o.
which show that Porter could not then have
| been In possession OF the 4:30 pm. order. Al
soon as this 4:30 pm. order was received
| Porter ordered an attack, but darkness came
on, aud, using the words of the report, ''tht
| order was based upon conditions manifesto,
| erroneous, aud directed what was impossible
to he done, and that Porter wisely ordered
| further preparations to cease.
| The report, In concluding this part of tn
| investigation, says: when darkness hal
| come on, the rear of M'Doweil's column o
weary troops was passing by the rear o
| PoTter's column. still several miles from thel
| destined place ON the field. The Uniol
| army was not even ready for battle" Por
| ter's duty during the afternoon of the twenty
| ninth Of August was too plain and simple
| admit OF discussion, and the board was I'm
| able to nd anything in it to object to, muc
less deserving of censure or condemnation.