The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-04-02
WASHINGTON,

WASHINGTON, April 2.-The report of
the board OF officers 10 the case of Fitz
John Porter, says that the rev evidence in
addition to the old, has placed beyond
question many important facts before the
subject of dispute, in respect to which rad
lcally erroneous opinions were entertained
by Gen. Porter's accusers, and doubtless
by the court martial that pronounced him
guilty. The result has been 20 establish
beyond reasonable doubt all facts essential
to the formation of correct Judgment
upon the merits of the case, concerning the
charge OF which Gen. Porter was found
guilty OF not having moved his command
on the night of August 9th, 1862, in obe-
dlence to an order from Gen. Pope.
The board report it was a manifest phys
lcai lmposslbllity to march out that road
that night; that nothing would have been
gained By the attempt, and ii would have
been wiser it Gen Porter had delayed the
attempt still longer than he did, had he ex-
ercised the very ordinary discretion of corps
commanders, and that it was his plain duty
to exercise it.
With reference to the famous 4. 80 %, m.
order, the board find it was not received by
Porter before $50 D. u. on the 29th of
August, and that the officer who wrote the
dispatch only began to write it at 4:3O D.
NJ, and that the messengers 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 wit,
nesses concerning this order had given
manifest Inconsistent statements, and the
other witness had confessed to the board
he had deliberately made false statements
ii regard to the route taken while carrying
the dispatches, and as to still another wit
ness on this point, his testimony as to cas-
| lily delivering the dispatch, was so COM
| pletely broken down that no weight what
ever was attached to it. On the other
| hand testimony as to time of delivery OF
the 4:30 p. N. order Of such officers as Gen.
! Sykes. Colonels Locke and Montieth, and
several other witnesses all go to prove
that the order was not delivered until
about sundown, and this testimony has
been singularly confirmed by the produc
ton for the first time of the dispatch from
Porter to Mcdowell, dated 6 o. m,, of the
dayin question, the terms of which show
that Porter could not then have been in
possession Of the 4:30 p. M, order.
Porter then Immediately ordered an at
attack, but darkness intervening rendered
it impossible. Porters duty during the af,
ternoon of the 29th, of Aug. was too plair
and simple to admit of discussing and the
board are unable to fnd anything in it sub
ject to criticism, much less deserving Of
censure or condemnation,
Subscriptions to four per cent loan since
yesterdays report SIS, ,204, 200.
WASHINGTON, D. c.. April 2 1879
The senate confirmed Andrew D. White
Of New York, envoy extraordinary anC
minister plenipotentiary to Germany
Cornelius A Logan, of Illinois, minister
resident to the Central American states
Jacob H. Stewart, ST. Paul, surveyor gen
eral for district of Minnesota; A. B. Nor
ton, United States marshal for the north
ern district of Texas; Jefferson 2. Kid
, der, associate justice of the supreme oour
, of Dakata
! The president nominated David I. Cor
bin, of South Carolina, chief justice of th
supreme court of Utah; Thomas S. Wads
worth, Illinois, receiver public moneys, l.
! Misilla, New Mexico