New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-25
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
THAT FAMOUS ORDER AGAIN.


ADMIRAL PORTER REINFoRcEs HIS PooilloN w.
,vrrrp FROM COMMANDER WISE, OF THE
MALVERN.
Tn IN. Editor OF The TRIBUNE.
SIR: have been waiting to see now man" man
R,ehmoads are in the field TO prove tnat 'ie ,ot,cr
horse n myth before answering Mr. Thatci'ei 49,.
- ooen,,v onpeared in your paper. 1t is an in'ei
ss,,ng document in some respects but IL is - ne
lapse of tine has Impaired Mr.
well as that OF older people -, Ar Thatcher was
10 sbo,v that In some particulars ''i a
~ 49,, , of the way IN his statements, he says
80 Iered by General wczel to accompany nun W 'no
g. shin Malvern. President Lincoln 1eherai "ci'@',
.dmIraI Porter and 1 think, John IL. Caihppei' Vi
,,Ira held an interview in the cabin OF that vessel
Tasting about twenty minutes" was not III inc caoh
hua Mr. Campbell was on board, not introduced 10
him and did not know who he was until after ne had
left the ship Now wouldn't call the statemeBta pure
1ctIon - on the part of Mr. Thatcher would perhaps
saw it was mental hallucinaon anil that he had inS
taken the ships steward for the Admiral.
In another part of his letter Mr. Thatcher says
After further discussion General Weitzel directed me
20 ride down to the river and II the steamer was e
and General Weitzel When arrived at me river Tue
teegraphed the President.
Tw,nldnt undertake to say that this statement is
pure fiction either but would say 1t is an attempt
10 prove an alib the Malvern which is signal failure
rs the Malvern moved from the spot where she
anchored of Richmond until the morning o Iho ON
OF April, and this interview to which Mr.. Ihatcher
aludes took place on the 9Th The Malvern was long
ship high out OF water and person who couldn't see her
from the river bank have been very nearsghted
will satisfy myself by calling this lapse OF memory
and do not suppose Mr.. Thatcher Intentionally erred
Ianyone will take the trouble to Rad Mr. Thatchers
letter and then read the following from Commander W.
c. WISE who commanded the Malvern at that time. he
will see that the latter completely demoshes the card
houses erected by certain searehers after truth:
NAVY YARD, PORTSMOUTH, n H..
May Is. 1855.
MY DEAR ADMIRAL: am only too glad to reply to the
Inquiries contained in your letter OF the llth instant
have noticed lately many miSstatements OF lacts
connected with the closing OF the war; in which
barring the honor 9 a iange SO 9
testify, but shrink so from putting myseit III print
finally. 10 answer fully your letter l Will briefly run
over those eventful April days which are SO indehDy
We left City Point Tuesday morning April 4, about
o'clock followed by the steamer River Queen, carrying
I5nitors anchored IN the Hewlett House Reach you
orleIcd to signal to them to cheer the President as
little son Tai" the forward part Of the passenger
deck of the steamer watching carefully our movements
We reached the distractions at Drury Blum or Fort
Darling abOut / o'clock. Finding the passage blocked
by the Commodore Barry under Captain Rouckendorf,
the Malvern compelled TO anchor
taking Breese, II. A. Adams and think, the army
signal officer you pulled to the River Queen anchored
directly astern, when, the President joining you up tue
Before leaving the Malvern yOu gave me Oruers 10
push TO tue city as soon as possible ana III on arriving
there fire salute OF thirty six gunS About D. M
elipped through and anchored of the Rockets ABOUT
$3.50 p aud fired the salute shortly after anchorlng
Breese returned to the ship ana tod Inc 10 go up anu
report arrival the Davis Mansion. met you
coming Of the Capitol grounds sitting on the right OF
the President in army ambulance Securing a horse
frOU the escort rode to your side and reported the
Malycrn's arrival You turned TO the President saying
The Malvern is here all right" You returned 10 the
ship with Mr. Lincoln about D O'Clock. Inc fresldeht
remained board the Malvern during our stay of the
city, though about noon OF the 9th, wednesday, the
River Queen with Mrs. Lincoln came up ana made fast
There were always on the wharf abreast of the Nal
horses wagons and ambnlanccs ready for any
sudden call recoleet distinctly MI Caln6elIs being
board. and think he had two citizens with him. one
Mayo, the Mayor Of the city. sometime III the
evening after they had landed remember your sending
10 me for officer TO 60 shore immediately to GEN
eral Wetzel. The officer gone nearly au nOur |
think and having reported to me that he had carried ont
your orders reported il Breese who IN the stall
officer must have taken one OF the wagons or horses 10
carry ont your orders. We remained at anchor all day
Wednesday, April s. and len Richmond about o'clock
Thursday morning Though am inclined 10 tnihS We
remained two whole days at anchor-the log VIII show
that. reaching City Point with the President about
hold that these facts fully explode the story OF Gen
cral wezels aid. II only X. X. Breese or IL A. Adams
were alive, how completely would they demOllsh the
whole hing am positive that the aid not In your
cabin and equally positive that II lie on board
the tine he states he could NOT have seen the parties
magoifying power through ships bulkhcad 80,
false in Ore false in ALL" will ht the aids case.
HOpng that the above facts will enable yOu To put
qulctus the whole affair, believe NE 10 be always
faithfully yours,
(SignedJ '" T. WISE
EMr Thatcher seems have lost sight OF the interesting
historical fact in relation this incident OF the and
tries attach Importance TO the performance OF horse
ard WAGON. the trinng part Sf the whole matter
Washington, May IS, 1850 d. ID. PORTER