The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-12
THE FlTz JOHN PORTER CASE.
Some New and Very Damaging Testimony
Against the Convicted General.

Boston, March 1.-THE fact that Senator Lo-
gan was searching for new testimony in the Fitz
John Porter case. led to the interviewing of Adj
jutant Little, who resides in Boston. His state
ments may be summarized as follows: General
Pope sent his first order on Aug. 90 to Porter, at
3 o'clock in the morning. AT o'clock the same
morning Porter received his third order from
Pope, one order received by him at $50 a. NJ.
having come in between. The order delivered
at a. NJ. was a verbal one, and substantially
the same as contained in the famous written
joint order received at 1920 A. NJ las receipted
for by Mcdowell and Porter. The verbal or
der, delivered at Z A. NJ, was carried by Josiah
Getchell, who personally gave it to Porter. This
order was the vital enc, and had Porter sent out
a small party on ibis front at daylight he would
have known there was no considerable force
before him, and could have taken position dur
ing the day which would have enabled him to
flank Hood, who did not join Jackson's right
wing, near the Haymarket road, until 4;3O the
same afternoon. If he had moved as ordered at
a. NJ. be could, without any opposition, have
advanced and taken the most choice position on
the field, and which Longstreet twenty four
hours later managed to occupy without the least
interference [ know that Porter could have
proceeded with Mcdowell on the 1880 order by
crossing Dawkln's branch in an almost direct
line north, which would have brought him at
2. NJ into line at the front the left of Nc
Dowel and in such position would have en-
abled him to flank Hood, who at 4:30 P. NJ. was
directly in McDowells front Even after the
4:30 P. NJ. order of the 29th was received by
Porter, to take up position to the left of Nc
Dowell, Porter could have advanced with slight
opposition as the only enemy in his front was
a small detachment of RosserS cavalry, which
was simply thrown into the woods
skirmishers and scouts. Porter speaks of
LongStreet being on his flank the 29th, when
Longstreet did not arrive until after l A. NJ. of
the Both. Except Hoods division, which could
not have been ON McDowells front and Porters
flank at the same time during the Goth, know,
from personal scout of the ground between
Porter and Mcdowell, that there was nothing to
speak of to impede his advance on the 29th. He
was w1lfully blind, and during the battle all the
scouts, SkirmiSherS and orderlies who were
made aware of what was Transporting were salts
fed. and expressed the opinion that Porter had
made up his mind not to aid Pope even if a por-
ton of the army should be sacrificed. The whole
vital part of the case has been lodged by Por-
ter, by the subterfuge of misplacing dates and
befogging the minds of those who ought to be
competent judges as to the facts bearing on the
arrival of Hoods first division of Longstreets
command, one whole day after Porter was as
calling attention to the Both instead of the 29th
of August. The First Maine cavalry during
the 10Th also skirmished the ground between
Porter and Mcdowell, and found but q very
small force of Rosser's cavalfy-. By my personal
trip know that Longstreet had not reached the
position occupied by him on the Both, up to mid
night of the Doth, although Porter and Pope
thought Longstreet was there during the after
noon of the 29th
II conversed with Getchell on the Sd, and he
told me about having carried one or more dis
patches from Pope to Porter and Mcdowell
early on the morning of the 29th. Getchell inn
pressed me by alluding to the sulky and sullen
manner with which Porter received one of these
orders, which, he said, was verbal one The
general feeling among the Orderlies, and which
was shared by both Getche and myself,
was that Porter did not and would not pay any
regard to Popes orders The orderles at
headquarters, hearing that Porter
had the sulks when he received the first
order the 29th, We're satisfied that Porter would
not go into the battle, and Pope himself had his
mind made up that he could not rely
infantry told me that during the battle
they could hear the artillery and musketry, and,
although eager to join in the fray, they were not
allowed to come forward. When Porter reported
to Pope the Both he came up on the right flank
instead of the left flank as he should have done,
and this fact accounts for his position in the line
the Both.
Lieutenant John 0. Myrick, who commanded
my company during the battle, was well aware
of all that have related and at one time told
me that lie had all the facts concerning the dis
patch delivered by GetC hell to Porter lat A. Nj,
Aug. 20, 1862, covered in a statement of
Getchell, whom he had called upon with view
of getting positive and UNREASONABLE evidence.
Myrick is dead; but among his effects at Augusta,
Me-, may be found the statement | allude to.
The great mistake people make is
in cOnfounding Porters position the 10Th
with that of the GOTH and reference to the rela-
Of no two
two days, together with Porters peculiar mac
ton, will show how Longstreet, the morning of
the Both, was enabled to enfladc the federal left
wing with demoraizing effect"
First lieutenant George Il. Jewett, now en-
gagged in business in Boston, and was private
during the battle, was aware Of much that
CURED in connection herewith, and corrobo-
rates many of Little's statements.
Orderly Sergeant Getchell was fond by a re
porter on his farm at East Brunswick, Me. His
services at the second battle of Bull Run being
referred to he assumed a conservative air, and
indicated that he had determined not to talk,
Learning that his questiOner was u newspaper
man he said he would rather meet the devil than
a reporter" because. if he should tell what he
knew he would be subjected to a running fire
from the newspapers which might be friendly
to Fitz John Porter. Whenever the subject of
the morning dispatch was alluded to he evaded it,
and would give information on that subject.
He mentioned, however, that about O'Clock i'll
the afternoon and about p NJ. the Goth he
saw an orderly carry dispatches from Porter to
Pope. This orderly when he returned from his
last trip. was asked by Getchell what was to be
expected from Porter Getchell cannot now re
peat the exact language of the orderly. but when
he asked what Porter said the orderly replied
that Porter remarked, He would move when
he got good and ready Getche says that these
may not be the exact words, but this impression
was certainly conveyed. Getchels statement at
least goes to prove that Porter received an order
between noontme and the famous $50 P NJ or
der. The aforementioned was the one that the or
derby carried on his second trip about O'Clock
According TO Getchell, this orderly was Douglass
Pope, whose testimony was impugned at the in
veshgaton.
The Foot and Mouth Disease.
LANcAS CtuNy Morob / rha Jo,troa1'c Moo