New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-04
FIJI John PORTERS CASE.


ANOTHER DEFENCE BY GENERAL CRAM
A LETTER TO SENATOR CAMERON WRITTEN LASi
FrBpUAcY-PoRrFR DECLARED INNOCENT OF
pIsoBEDrENCE Of ORDERS AND OF DlsRtsPECI
To WIS COMMA ~DER
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3.-The following letter
dated February 1882 from Geneia 1r"ht 10 I mr.
nished to the press: -, vs.. T., 1890
| Hon ] D. CAMERON, L. S. Senate Washington, ~ e. a.,
ID ARSIR: II has been M mention untl within ,nG
last few days 10 visit Wash nston tns WIN vim "1
and with General Logan on the su0cct o l"e lltL Ju
to o." 70 W9sbneton have determined q write, aud
write 10 yOu so that yon may state my position TO }onr
friends aud particularly TO General LOCAL. anu II you
choose show TINS letter 10 any such people. 49,. 49,
When commenced the examination oI me fllH john
Porter case SANDS, 1t Was with te c"n'lctoh
that hi. sentence vas just ono. and that ihs
punishment had been ieht Tor 80 ldeOus an oHchcci
bI tried TO throw III all pr'Judl III .G c.. am "
sxnmne 1t on It, merits cane our of ma ,Nh'u ~
tiOn with the firm conviction tlat AN creiy ~ "ne
had been mos uujustIy pnhsaed ca,s no rSu
upon the which trcdlhin because the rNlu'lce
which proves his entire innocence or dl-"Dedehce
OF orders it v as impossible 10 have before mat court
When completed the investigation anu CANT 10 , I
conclusion didOi his nnoccnce-nY hfst 'Aot-ht
was 10 write IT, Gcnera' Logan Oocau'e - ia r a
my friend, and an sure am ms anu nc n'u t ,a' ",
The blll for General POrtcI's restoration 10 me Amy
thought therefore, II was due to MN 'hat shond III
in, estIgatun But NJ the President was Jus. uoou W.
lns city when my letter to hiln was writer ana IL
WIS desired present u 10 'im mere, rCqucsIeu III
i eITect" tir Prrsdcnt sent TO him THIS was done
Yon are aware that when General Logan made his
speech against General Porter, Ii was IN oPPo-'tiVtt
to h pen.i1g III o G%aSGcSS of i tne snt
OF General Porter, ana therefore opposed To- mo
bill. HIS Investigations therefore were necessarily 10
fnd arguments 70 sustain his sce OF pending question
Of have knowledge OF the papers lie "oui re-
fer 10. would examine, 10 lad such argmenISi Dl'
know that he could have the testimony when was Ak$n
before tue martial wAicn convicted; pIohdoy
also the Arguments OF the Olctr Who 40 ~
when the case before TIE SchOi "a court ana aFtu
nncnts have been made By lawy e'S, D. d. toA ana
Others possibly. oil OF which were IL opOs,t4oi ~ n
cI9l Porter as much as ihat OF phd "''orne III o"'''
before civil courts. ,,,.
b-iOrc NE Of the occurrence from the 21th o. August
1862 sid for some hdio tine piiyr 10 lbo Is, % D1p
TEMPER The same year, show c1ncusvcy ma n UVu't
aud some Of witnesses entirely misapprehended The
position II the eneIn, that day
General POrtcr convicted OF dsO0cdlence OF an
of General POpcs, da cd Il" 4:tO ~ N on the -9h
ms Ier II possible Dispatches OF General Pope OF mat
duy show that IA, knew General Loc wac c0minI TO ne
the only force In his front at llal
time, but that ne couiu NOT dr Idnc
OF the day It sworn 10 before Tho court tit
THIS order o 1870 p m reached ncheI al Iott al noo
rcco ecicd that this testimony was given ron mem
ory ana un0ut sonably without IDEA at the time
Of the that they ever to oe called upon
To give any testimony IL me case
Investigation shows dispatch IRON Genera. FOIicI
dacd OcO-k o. that afternoon, which mihce no men
lion vi having received the order to atac&, ma IL Is
such dispatch as could not be written %itnont mon
tlong me icCeipt % that order II IL h"t Oce- L
cciyed 1Icro Other testimony that makes ii entirely
satisfactory 10 ny nina th"t tic OiueI WIS hot
Until abOuI suudOwu, or OeV"een shutdown ana d"it.
II gwen stated before, 70 attack the tn"mys
on suppOs ton that jackson was there alone as Gen
tie next day, OF the morning of the day following
believe the court ohvnced that on the evening OF
re 18th OF August jackson with hlH force was there
alone but II Is proved by tcatluiOn' bttteT an
sworn evidence % any persons on TIC OaOn he 'nnt
S"nrTaI Forfers eDtire force ine attack upon JACK
II . AM
first wipns Ol force Of LOuestrce' the order hd
mol Contemplate either nISAt attack, ana 10 have
",eyrJ rv.L ii Longsteot had not boon ther Gone 4.
Porter would tecE obliged 90 make III IA attata
But even IL Inu maj General Porter,
notwithstanding the late hour. I'D all lie could 10 obey
that order ~ had previously gwen command t"Gtneil
Morel. who COMMANDED C'r most advanced division, OF
iTOutIDS tne enemy 10 tnIO" Odi sAlihll7H
nue engage she enemy, OF 10 keep hun "ocaed, ahd
he Immediately orders General AOre to Increase
il from rkiiInish line 10 large 0.te ana mat lie would
be WIN him as soon as he could get there.
did actually TO Ia" front, aGuEh III WAS udIh,
20 sipernteud tins movement, ara 10 ar 90 possible to
prevent 100 enemy utt1cutne ti' ,''uS n ne & =,
mus showing desire TO obey the Order stlcty ahd 10
the best O bis abi,y. mud the Sch0ield b0af acquIt
him entirely, bht caro-" some insure upon nm lol
ing ex pressed lack OF confidence III ma commanding
Oifcer SucA cOnGuct might Oc cenaured, alihOugh II
every man IN tie army Ia bcen Tuls'u VINO Tau tA
pressed lack OF confidence in ms superior "Gi'er many
OF our pest soldiers would nave been punished;
Bot act II tins not stated III the aunmng uP oil
the ease tire board, should not have lodhd maj 80
nary, tp my MAD now. he ].aous In giving up
port 90 Genera Pope, ana NOR 80, possibly, foT me
reason knew among MS Tor er army associates
:Acre good dc o! apprehension, TO say thc least,
o. his Tor his pitc'. IL must be rrcolcc'rd
that General Pope Was selected from western army
ana brought East To command an army Were tIcle
were great many generals wnO had had experience IN
previous war, and whO mad. Ike inac 1niitdy eau
GA on, there may Improperly nave ne u IccndE
nat Il Wa. reflection upon them 20 20 olt OF iholr
own command TO Ind Il suitanie c'lnnIan'ef; ana II
il also very probable That expression was ire "
gwen 70 that feeling But 1t "onld be Wei 10 reflect
what would the sentiments III the Vest II AZ
officer from Eastern army mai becn sent out 10
rupers,de all OF them ana 10 command lhcdi, ana
whether not there might have not been SJHe harsh
criticisms, oven by VINO proved t. bc E"tOhg "ui
ui.si Gallant aid ucNOteu commanders Then, 800 IN
rce1aluinng the attention called again 10
General pOpCS early order IN taking command OF ne
Arm, Of Virginia. send you copy OF thls uidcf 1uu
will see t,at IT was calculated to make tne army 10
whom IL addressed fee, mat IT was reflection upon
hcr former and former commanders from tudt
even as lnaDe people General LOAN ana sell
would lave brcu very apt To nave made some very
uncJuplimenlaIy remarks they had been
ma .cs-rd by Eastern Onlccr seat west 10
command over in our field OF duty.
commenced reading up tHis case wIih the conviction
That General Porter had been guilty as found 10y tie
convection that I. and the public generally mad do1e
HIN fearful injustice. ana entirely satisfied thdl any IN
trngcnt iwy VINO VIII throw aside prejudice
ana "A anime case nave done, viii come 10 The
s me conclusion.
As stated IN NY letter tie President feel ii incum-
bent upJn me, IN OF The positions tbat nave hcld
heIeOIoI, and NY failure thcD 10 90 "hat no" Wish
had done 10 AK iy power 10 place General fOTier
sht tho pablo and Ia fhtnIc history, ana 10 re
par my own GniutentOnIl inihslce 49,
address this letter To yOu 9~E th3t you VIII nave
right III the matter, aui at N"n VIII STATE To "hohso
ever may proper and necessary present
cOnVlctiOus upon this cart. Very truly you're,
LUCl'S SACQUE,
Ero,o The 1Jfr,Jo Trjy,,ne