Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-01-05
The InfervIew-Grant ON Porter.

The Times reporter asked General Grant
| if the above reports were true.
| ments are correct with the exception that have
not said anything about General Porter's stora-
to General Porters reputation as soldier, but the
| thing that have nothing 10 do with
how came yeu to satisfy yourself that injustice
asked ''- ~
well, as you probably know" was the reply 81
| had fully made up my mind that the Judgment OF
| the court-martai was just one. Recently how
| ever at the request of General Porter have read
over all OF the testimony In the Gaze, and also the
orders and reports of the Confederate officials who
| were at the second battle of Bull Run Az pro
| crossed in my reading became very much inter
| ested in the case, and found that the facts were
| very different from what have hitherto believed
| am 81 the opinion mat, had al the testimony
and documents now available been brought
before the court-mar;ial, there would have
| b.en verdict against General Porter
| The orders of the Confederate generals show
| said it was. and not where the oOurt-martal was
led TO believe il was. For nineteen years ] have
believed that the finding of the court-martial
| just one and warranted by the facts, but now
that am in error, and the fact that for twelve
| years when was general OF the army and Presi-
dent OF the United States, had it in my power to
| do General Porter Justice, and did not, makes me
| feel under OBLIGATIONS to do al that Pc sibly
can 20 remove the odium and diserae from him
! now
| the finding o. the court martial was wrongF'
"On, within the last two months. | finished
reading the testimony about three weeks ago. and
since then have expressed my convictions unre
seryedly TO some OF my frie nds did not expect,
however,
newspapers about the matter. communicated
my Conclusions, after investigating the matter TO
General Logan, who, as warm personal friend OF
| think that Governor Porter is entirely innocent
of the charges made against him, and am thor
oughly satisfied that in General Pope's campaign
he did his duty to the very best of his ability"
Have YOU written to President Arthur about
this case?'
II must decline to say anything on that subject.
What do or say will be made public in due time.
and through the proper channels. shall write
out my views and append my signature to them,
course of time, find its way into print. / cannot
tell you when that statement will be prepared
do you believe that General Porter will be re-
instated in the army?''
Il think justice should be done him on the facts
as they exist. He has been greatly wronged, and
there is scarcely any reparation that can entirely
compensate him for the many years of misrepre-
sentation and humiliation. OF course, the first
brought to see the matter in the same light that
do, is TO rest to General Porter his good name
and give him back his reputation as a soldier so
that neither himself nor his family need longer
suffer humiliation and dishonor. Ultimately he
may be restored to the army but this is point
do not care TO talk abost."
what do you think, general, of the rule that
a soldier should always obey orders?"
Sometimes it may become the duty OF soldier
general may send en- order to a subordinate who
is long distance of. He may not be fully ac-
quainted with the condition OF affairs at the place
where his subordinate is, or during the transmits
sion OF the order circumstances may have taken
entirely different phase Such things have
it becomes the bonnden duty OF the subordinate
to disobey orders. Being in possession OF knowl-
edge OF which his superior is not and perhaps
cannot BE- he should exercise Eis own judgment
and do what seems to him to be right"
DO you now understand that General Porter
failed to obey General Pope's orders?''
az did understand for nineteen years, but now
/ understand that he did not disobey orders How
ever am not desirous of saying anything about
my own Signature