The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1883-01-18
CAMERON on the FlTz-J0nN PORTER

Se0atOI ComeIOO, Vi feuOSylVaul6,
spoke in favor of the bill. He believed
that Porter had been . loyal soldier
whose mistakes, II he made any, were
of the head and not of the heart.
Porter seemed never to eat or sleep,
but was eternaily on the alert cheer
ing the men by his zeal and his conf
dence, aiding the authorities by ad-
vice, and instructing them how to
bring order out Of chaos. 1t became
my duty to take charge of the railroad
from Harrisburg to Baltimore. and
while 80 engaged IN incident occurred
in my office which impressed me
greatly, and which IL has always
seemed to ME should atone to . great
extent for any errors that General Por-
ter may have committed, II any, ut q
later leriod Of the war. Through this
incident learned that 1t was to .
great extent through him, in my judg-
ment, that the services Of Gen. Geo.
II. Thomas were secured to the side
Of the Union. Gen. TheDas, then
Maj. Thomas, WAS stationed at Car
Isle Barracks. There were ut the
same time two other majors of the
army stationed q the same place. 1
have forgotten the names, but that Is
immaterial, for the records Of the war
Department will show when the order
was received from the war department
10y q messenger who came across the
country, directing Major Porter to
send the troops then ut Carlisle to
Washington, with directions to have
them cut their way through. 1t Is
the language of this order which
makes me say that this was ut one of
the darkest periods Of the war. The
capitol Of the nation was menaced by
the enemy camping within q few
miles, and had but handful Of men
for its protection. Porter, with y
quick perception of the gravity of the
situation and showing a thorough
of the fitness of the man
for the duty to be performed, Sc
lected Thomas from three majors
and ordered him to report to him
being Porter's headquarters: Thorn
Us arrived there promptly the
same evening. When Informed Of the
duty to be performed, Thomas hest
tated and then began a conversation
between the two officers which con-
tinued until morning and made last
ing impression on me. Thomas ar.
gued against the war being brought on
the country by the abolitionists of the
north, and while deploring II scin-
cerely As any man could. the south
had just cause for complaint. Peter
took the position that he (Thomas) as
a soldier had no right to look at the
cause of the trouble. but as an officer
of the United States army 1t was his
duty to defend his flag whenever IL
was attacked. whether from foes
within or without. Porter plead As
as elOquently, As | ever |
heard any man plead cause in which |
his whole heart was engaged, and II |
was this pleading which caused |
Thomas tn arrive at q decision. do |
not say that Thomas refused to obey |
his orders, but l do say he hest |
lated and would much have preferred |
that the duty had devolved upon an
other. Thomas was Virginian and
had as had many other good and pa |
riotic men doubts as to the advisable |
ty of the government coercing the |
states back into the union, that had |
~ their legislatures formerly with
lrawn. but during that night decided |
% remain with the union. From \
hat time forward there was no doubt,
10 hesitancy, no wavering, but an
aud hearty support to the side
which had for its motto the interest |
II the union, and to-day his name Is
lmong the brightest and purest of its
heroes. II Porter was to
my extent instrumental i'm saving
his great name to our list Of military |
,eroes I AJAX should NOT this country
" grateful to him? Think Ii should. |