Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-11-16
Frrz-JouN ro,.rEs.
Letter from Gen Graat Explaining tho
= NJ CIpfiQc In His Views

Letter from asn Graat Expin,nlng tho
= - Change In Ills Views -.
General Grant has written the following
letter In explanation of his change of views
in the case OF Ftz-John Porter
General II. j. Porter MorTstopn, NJ
Dear Gencral-As there is now somg dis.
cussion as to the probable reasons for my
change OF mind in regard to your case, now
pending before the people of the United
States, 1cem IL proper that | should give
them myself.
In the first place, never believed you to
be traitor rs many affected to believe. |
thought / knew you too well to believe for
one moment that you would accept the pay,
rank and command you held for the pur--
pose of bctrayng the cause you were profess
sing to serve. Then, too, your services had
been too conspicuous as a staff officer ut the
beginning OF the war, and as commander of
troops later, to support such theory for
moment. But l did believe that Gen. Pope
was so odious to some of the officers in the
East that cordial support was not given
him by them. / was disposed, too TO accept
the verdict OF court-martia composed rs the
one which tried you was. Some of the
members OF that court know personally,
and had great confidence in their Judgment
and justice. supposed you had shared in
this feeling toward Pope, and, while not
more guilty than others, you were unfortu-
nate in being placed in a position where
specifications could be made showing this
hostility.
After the close of the war, when was re-
quested to read your new deie nee, read it
| with the feeling above described. At the
same time read the ether side as prepared
| n h,,H mi
maps showing the positions of the two armies
substantially as shown by the first of the dia.
grams presented by Mr.. Lord of San Fran
cisco, from whom copied in the article in
your case, aud did not indicate the presence
OF any other force than Jackson's. Then,
too, 1t appeared that you had actually receiv-
cd an order at about five or half-past five in
the afternoon of August 30 to attack the
cnemy's flank, and that too at time when
fierce battle was raging in the front.
was first shaken in my views, however,
when such man as General Terry, who
unites the lawyer with the soldier, and a
man OF high character and ability, and who
had believed as | had-and possibly worse
alter many weeks of investigation, should
entirely vindicate you, and be sustained,
too, by men of the known ability of bis
colleagues on the Board. Until, in 1881, |
re-examned for myself, my belief was that
on the goth of August, 1862, great battle
was fought between General Topc, com
nanding the Union forces, and General
jackson, commanding the Confederate
forces; that you with corps of twelve or
more thousand men stood IN position
across the right flank of Jackson aud where
You could easily get into his rear that you
received an order to do so about five or half
past i've O'clock, which you refused to obey
because OF clouds of dust in your front,
which you contcnded indicated an enemy in
superior force to you; that you allowed
rope to get bcaten while you stood idly
looking on without raising an arm 10 help
MN. with this understanding, aud with.
out doubt as to the correctness Of it, !
condemned you.
Now, on full investigation of the facts,
nnd that the battle was fought on the 3Olll
OF August that your corps, commanded
airectly by you in person, lost a greater per-
ccntage ulsn any other corps engaged that
the halt-past four order OF the day before did
not reach you until nghtfall that your i'm
mediate superior had cautioned you carly in
the day that you were too far out TO the front
hen that General Pope had cautioned you
against bringing on an engagement except
under such circumstances as he described,
and that many event you must be prepared to
fall back behind Bull Run that night, where
II would be necessary for you TO be To receive
supplies that from II O'Clock of the 20ih
you were confronted by force of twice your
o~n number, Of whose presence you had
positive proof, while General Pope did no,
know of it.
This last fact is shown by the wording o!
the half-past four order. 1t directed you to
attack the cncmy's right and 10 get into his
rear. General Pope's circular of the morn
ing OF the Goth said that General Lee was
| advancing by way of Thoroughfare Gap. At
The rate at which he was moving he woult.
be up the night OF the Both or morning of the
3lst. In his testimony before the court mar
tial which tried you he said, under oath, that
he did not know of the arrival of Lees COM
mand until six o'clock of the Goth, an hour
ana half after he had dictated the order for
your attack.
His circular and testimony prove couclu.
sivcly that jackson, and Jackson alone, was
the eneu ! he intended you to attack. Your
knowledge of this fact, as well as of the fact
that You had another force quite double yours
In addition in your front, would have been
sufficient justification for your not attacking.
even II The order had been received IN time
vi course this would not spply if a battle
had been raging between Jackson and Pope
AT the hou, you received the order all was
quiet
This very short, hastily written and in
complete summary shows why and when my
mind underwent a change. | have no doubt
now but the change would have taken place
IN 1867 il had then made an investigation.
| regret now that did not understand your
case then as l do now. Your whole l,fc
since your trial, as well as your services be-
fore, disprove the great buiden of the charges
then sustained by court. martial AS long
as have voice it shall be raised in your
support without any ference to the effect
upon me or others. Your restoration to the
army simply would regard as very made
quatc ard unjust rcparation. While men
one at least-have been restored to the army
because of THAR gallantry and wounds, after
conviction and sentence, not only to be dis
missed, but to be confined in a pcnitcntiayy,
and when there is no doubt Of their guilt and
given all their pay for the years they were
out of the service, can sec no reason for
your having less.
/ hope for you thorough vndication, not
only by Congress, but in the minds of your
countrymen.
Faithfully yours, U. S. GRANT.