Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-11-21
10000 men:

As shown by this diagram, Porter was
not in a position to attack the right flank
Of jackson, because he was at least three
miles away, aud not across his flank, as
shown in the first diagram. With Long
streets presence, to have obeyed that
order he would have been obliged, with
10000 men, to have defeated 25,-
600 men in chosen position.
before he could have moved upon the flank
Of the enemy, as the order directed. But,
even it the position of Lee's army had
been thirty six to forty eight hours distant,
as asserted in the joint order to Mcdowell
and Porter, it would have been impossible
for Porter to have obeyed the 4:3O order,
because it did not contemplate night at
tack, and was not received by Porter until
about dark. To have obsyed it would have
required some little preparation, move
ment Of TROOPS and distribution Of orders,
SO that it would have been Some time after
dark beforeihe could have moved from the
position he was then occupying, and at
least as late as o'clock at night before he
could have reached Jackson's flank to en-
gage it. His efforts to execute the order,
Notwithstanding it's apparent inappropri-
ateness, demonstrate this assertion.
I consider that these facts, with many
more that were brought to the knswledge
Of the sohshsld beard, fully s1oaerats Gen.
Porter of the charge of ;disobsdisncs OF
what is known Is the 80 order, and also
Of the imputation Of lukewarnness in his
support Of the commanding general.
A great deal might be said of the move
ments, the marching and oountermarching
of troops between the date of the order of
the 9th of August and the receipt of the
order Of the 29th, which would throw light
upon this question; but I abstain from
giving it, because I believe that what is
Stated here covers all the points wherein
Gen. Porter hes been charged with being
delinquent.
Gen. Porter has now for twenty years
been leboring under tho disabilities and
penalties inflicted upon him by the court
martial Of 1862, ell that time contending
for q restoration to his position in the
| in the beginning Of this article, on the
ground of his entire innocence. The in
vestigation of the Schohsld board has, II
all the oAenses for which he was tried anl
under such findings, for himself and fam
lily ouQ 1II00OB, ID 6OAOtu1u& II - 0OW LII
possible to set right. Twenty years of the
best part of his life have been consumed
| in trying to have hisinams and his reputa
ton restored before his countrymen
In his application now be-
fore congress he il asking
only that he may be restored to the rolls
Of the army, with the rank that he wouli
have if the oourt-martial had never bee1
hold. This, in my judgment, is YER,
small part of what it is possible to do il
this case, and what ought to be done. Gen
| sral Porter should, in the way of partia
restitution, be declared by congress t.
have been convicted on mistaken testimo
Iny, and therefore, to have never been on
OF the army. This would make him
major general of volunteers uEtil tn
date might be fixed for his muster out a
of that rank, after which he shout,
be continued az a colonel of infantr,
and brevet brigadier general of the United
States army from the date of the act, whel
he could be placed upon tho retired lis
with that rank.
In writing what have here written
mean no criticism upon the court whic
tried General Porter, nor upon the officer
under whom or with whom he served. /
is easy to understand. in the condition O
the public mind as it was in 1862. when tn