Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1882-12-07

ates for their numbers, and he ought
consequently to accept all they say
that he fooled Porter that day, and
kept him from attacking Longstreet's
right flank, by having some brush tied
to mules tails and dragging them up
and down the road to make dust, and
this dust made by brush was the 'large
force" that Porter found in his front on
the road leading from Manassas Station
to Gainesville.
WHERE GEN. GRANT IS MISTAKEN.
1T seems that Gen. Grant has fallen
into the same error by insisting in hi,
article that Longstreet's force was in
front of Porter, when it was not at any
time in his front, or near his front, OF
facing his front.
Gen. Grant says that the court-martial
that tried Porter made a mistake. He
says that the 4:30 order, ordering Porter
to attack at once contemplated the at
lacking Of Jackscn's forces on the right
flank, and that no doubt this was in the
mind OF the court and the commanding
General
Gen. Grant falls into error here again.
Gen. Pope had the information at 9
o'clock in the morning that a force
had passed through Gainesville (ffteen
regiments of infantry and 500 cavaly),
and when he issued the order to Porter
III the morning, it was to meet the force
he knew to be coming in that direction.
but whether he knew it when he issued
his order in the morning is immaterial,
as he had the Information early that day.
After receiving this information, as a
General he knew that the force coming
down the road was coming to Jackson's
right and rear so as to attack him ON the
left flank, and when he issued the 4.3O
order, how can Gen. Grant say that he
(Pope1 had not contemplated the attack
OF Longstreet on the right flank, when
he Chains that his right flank was in his
(Porter's) direction, and there was moth
ing in sight he could attack except the
right flank of Longstreet.
Gen, Grant makes a plan, draws lines,
and puts Jackson's $4,000 men facing
Pope's $4,000, and places on this line
Porter squarcly fronting Longstreet's
5000 men. when he must know, if he
has examined the evidence, that no such
positions were occupied during that day
~ hHS DASGo VI t%CfiSSbiC Get anu 4 OllGI.
Gen. Grant says: AS shown by this
diagram, Porter was not in a position to
attack the right flank of Jackson be-
cause he was at least three miles away
and not across his flank, as shown in
the first diagram. With Longstreet' 5
presence, to have obeyed that order he
would have been obliged with $4,000
men to have defeated Is, 100 men in a
chosen position before he could have
moved upon the flank of tho enemy, as
the order directed
Thus Gen. Grant puts Porter suuarely
in front of Longstreet with his %, 600
men, and says that he could not have
obeyed the order without first whipping
Longstreet's $4,000 men with 10, O
He would have had to have done
that and then turned around and at
tackled jackson on the right flank. ]
admit this would have been recurring
too much of a man whose movements
were like those of Gen. Porter; but |
would ask Gen. Grant to explain how il
is that Longstreet shows that he had
seven brigades at this time attacking
Popcs left flank. yet he (Grant) says
that Porter would have had to whip the
whole $1,000.
He (Porter) IA certainly not re-
quired TO whip any one. He was only
required to attack the right flank of the
enemy, and the right flank of the enemy
was the right flank Of Longstreet' com,
mand. lie was part of the enemy, his
right flank being in the direction of Por-
ter.
Gen. Grant says, lie was three miles
away from Jackson's flank
Ii SO, then why not attack Longstreet,
whose flank was sticking out in all
where Porter could have attacked ii, a,
it was the only flank that presented it
self where he could attack. How, then.
was he to construe the order? Was he
to order his men to attack Jackson
when the order did not say 50? Was h,
to say, 'tLongstreet's flank is sticking
out there, | can see it, but L am not t
attack that! He is not the enemy, The
order says to attackthe enemy? vii
he say that does not mean to attack
Longstreet?
That is the logic of Gen. Grants posi-
ton.
How is it possible that it would hay,
required 50 much time when he was sen
out there that morning for the purpos,
~offightingp What orders would he hay,
been obliged to issue except to move tn,
troops forward to the position of tn,
flank and put them in line? And, as h,
moved up the road, with his troops fol
lowing, one regiment after the other
and faced them to the flank of the en-
T. amy Ia .un,tl Lnrr, l.a, =. H.. -
for battle.
These men lay there the whole day
prepared Gas Grant says) at II o'cloel
for the attack on the enemy. Doe.
Gen. Grant come in now and say if woGlC
have taken him from ) until 9 O'Clock t.
have an attack, when his troops werc
IN readiness to do so, as Porter himsel
claims they were on that day, and Al
Gen. Grant also claims?'
Gen, Logan then contrasts the conduc
OF Mcdonald and Porter to the decided
disadvantage of the latter, and call
attention to an incident in the western
army where a small brigade of 2,00l
men sent ut Logan's suggestion ant
Grants compliance, attacked the lief
flank Of Pemberton's army and created
such a panic that the army fled. Then
taking up the evidence the General con
tinues:
The evidence shows that after Por
ter received this 4:50 order a movement
was made across Dawkins' Branch b,
some Of his troops, and the general
officer, while placing his troops in posi-.
ton as though gong to move in tht
direction of Longstreet's flank, looked
around to see where the other troops
were, and found they were all retiring.
The evidence shows that they moi
only did not advance, or attempt to dc
50 other than what | have stated, but
that they retired. aud that some of Por.
ters command-to-wit: one brigade,
/ returned to Centreville that night, q
distance of several miles.
The evidence shows that Porter did
not attempt to communicate with Pope
during the day. Int that all three of thC
notes that he sent during the day in
reference to position, etc, We're sent to
Mcdowell and King.
AT the time that Pope issued tins or
der TO Porter 1t was expected that Por-
ter would moyeforward, and Mcdowell
command would also attack at the same
time. McDowelIs command did at
tack; and Longstroet's forces pour.
cd down upon the left flank OF
! Pope and forced them back. and instead
as | have said, Of Porter's attacking OF
moving to the front, he moved to tho
4 rear.