Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-12-29
YEAS,
NAYS.


ment of the war was sent to the relief OF
troops in Texas, in anticipation of the ac
tion of Gen. Twiggs, and on his attempt.
ing to land at Galveston, the enemy
threatened to capture his steamer with the
specie which he had on board. Here Por.
ter first developed his qualities as a com
mander. He threatened to sink this specie
and he relieved Pensacola and saved 7OO
men of Twiggs' command. Com
ing north he was assigned
to aid Gov. Curtain, and he helped
to organize the Pennsylvania troops.
While at Harrisburg he heard of the out
break 0&St. Louis, and communication
with washington being cut of, he took
the responsibility of ordering in the name
of Gen. Scott the mastering in of the Mis-
souria militia under Capt. Lyon. This ac-
ton on his part led to the organization of
the army which saved Missouri to the
Union. Gen. Porter forwarded Pennsyl-
vania troops for the protection of Wash
ington, then joined Gen. Patterson, was
assigned to the army of the Potomac, and
was in command at the seige of Yorktown.
When that seige ended he was assigned to
the command of the Fifth corps. He
commanded the right of the army of the
L OGOudC, duu bu6 1d1luI0 VI MCOOWoll TO
connect with him, under orders to protect
Washington, was the cause of the failure
of the peninsula campaign. It brought
the whole confederate force upon Portsr's
command, and the result was the
battle of Gaines mill and the re-
treat of Harrison's landing. Gen. Porter
covered the rear on the retreat to York
town, and was ordered to join the army of
Virginia by the way of Acquia Greek, but
learning from some captured negroes that
Lee was moving northward, he telegraphed
information to Mcclellan, and shipping
his command reported to Gen. Pope four
days sooner than his orders required. II
was impossible, Mr.. Sewell argued, that an
officer so energetic, so skilful and SO ready
to take responsibility, could within the
next few days have been guilty
of that with which Gen. Porter was
charged. The Burnside communication, OF
which so much had been said. was made in
pursuance of an arrangement with Burn
side that Porter should give him all the in.
formation from the army Of Virginia that
he possibly could, 80 that Burnside who had
separate command thrown out in the all
without support, might take advantage Of IL
in case of disaster to that army. The order
Of Pope to move at the time designated wa
ono which could not have been
carried out. Porter consulted hif
division commanders, and tho night being
dark they advised him that movement al
in the morning would facilitate progress
more than an earlier movement over q
road covered with 1900 wagons could pos
sibly do. Hero was an occasion when Z
corps commander might properly exer
else his judgment in carrying out AZ
order given by the commander of tn,
army, at distance, without q knowledg,
| of the circumstances. Porter did 30, ani
acting upon his judgment, and the advic,
of his corps commanders, he arrived a
the designated point in time to carry ou
the intention of Gen. Pope's orders. Tn,
order dated 4 80 P. m. to attack was received
| by Gen. Porter about sunset That wa
another case in which fl4e general com
msnding hsd no knowledge of their Cir
cumstances or of the force = front of Por
ter. and where it was clearly the duty Of
corps commander to exercise his owl
judgment. 1t has been since demonstrat