The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-07-16
Fitz John Porter's Restoration.
HE FINAL STAGES OF A DISPUTE PRO.
LoNGED THRoUH TwENTY-FoUR YEARS.


THE FINAL STAGES OF DISPUTE PRO.
LoNGED THRoUH TWENTY -FOUR YEARS.
The Presidents nomination of Fitz
John Porter to colonel in the army
was the necessary sequence of his hav-
ing approved the act of Congress un
der which this nomination becomes
possible. The confirmation of the ap-
pointment will be no less natural Sc
quence from the majority of the votes
cast in the Senate in favor of the act.
In future years this restoration of
General Porter will be looked upon as
typical example of the desire of the
American people to do justice, yet per-
haps with some wonder on the part of
those who do not study minutely the
history Of our times, at the long delay
in his vindication. But there is prop
erly nothing surprising either in the
original condemnation by court martial
or in the long postponement of this
practical reversal of it. The trial by
court martial occurred soon after the
second battle of Bull Run, on whose
events it was based, when testimony
and reports from the Union side were
alone accessible, the war still contnu-
ing. 1t occurred when there had be-
gun to be a fear or suspicion iu some
quarters of the formation of cabals
among high officers, by which, unless
checked, patriotism would be subordi-
mated to personal favoritism for this or
the other leader. Eking out its as
certainable facts with surmise and in
ference, the court possibly reached
sort of cumulative judgment against
several incidents in Gen. Porter's con
duct, when no one of them standing
alone would have been considered to
destroy his previous reputation as a
brave aud loyal soldier.
Porter's first alleged offence was
that, having received from General
Pope, during the evening of Aug. 27,
1852, an order to march his corps at l
o'clock in the morning to Bristoe Sta
ton, with the explanation that sit is
necessary on all accounts that you
should be here by daylight" he did
not start until 8, and did not arrive
with his advance till an hour before
noon. OF course Gen. Porter took
risk in this delay, under a positive Or
der, but it was shown that he con-
snlted his division commanders, Gems.
Mcneil, Sykes, and Butterfeld, who
all agreed that a liberal compliance
with the order was impracticable, from
the fatigue of the troops, the darkness
of the night. and the blocking of the
road by wagon trains. 1t is also ad-
mitted that the failure to comply with
the order did not unfavorably affect
the campaign.
The second accusation against Port
er was that he did not move his troops
in strict accordance with joint order
given to Mcdowell aud himself on the
morning of Aug. 20, thus leaving his
corps practically unused in the aid of
the operations of that day. The
third accusation was that he did not
obey at all a specific order sent by
Gen. Pope at 4 ] p. m. of that dsy to
60 into action against the enemy.
Thousands of pages of testimony
and argument haye been printed on
these points, the upshot being that the
accusations were literally correct, but
subject to the explanation that both
of Pope's orders were sent under the
suppositlon of state of things differ.
ent from one actually existing in Port
ers front, thus placing upon the latter
the necessity of exercising the degree
of discretion imposed upon a corps
commander. In the wording of the
orders there was also some conflict
with the facts.
In addition, the court martial of
1862 had before it private despaches
from Porter to Burnside, of Aug. 81,
containing such expressions as "if you
can get me away, do So" and ''inform
Mcclellan, that l may know that | am
doing right" The next day he tele-
graphed to Burnside that the latter
would shear of us soon by way of
Alexandria, and on the Doth he IN
formed Burnside that Pope went to
Centreville with the last two Hentz-
Gilman and Reno as a body guard, at
the time not knowing where the enc
my was. / hope Macs at work,
and we will soon get ordered out of
this There is little doubt that the
court martial interpreted Gen. Porter's
acts by the light of these and other ex-
pressions, showing profound disgust
at what was going on. 1t was appar-
emily inclined to consider him in no
proper frame of mind to judge of the
enemy's strength, and in one, rather,
to be misled into excuses for inaction,
But when, sixteen years later, a
Board of Inquiry composed of eminent
soldiers, Schofeld, Terry and Getty,
reviewed the whole matter with much
better opportunities for information,
they found that General Porter's view
of the actual military situation in his
front on Aug. 20 had been surprisingly
correct, and was confirmed by the tes-
timony of Longstreet and other Con
federate officers there present. They
rendered unanimously a professional
opinion to the effect that Gen. Porter S
actual conduct had shown true military
judgment, and that the suppositions Of
his accusers as to the actual situation
of things had been entirely mistaken
With such testimony as to actual con,
duct hostile inferences drawn from
private dispatches to brother officer
were dismissed as irrelevant.
Until competent Board of Inquiry
should examine the case, Gen. Porter's
exoneration had been practically hope
less, because the matter was thoroughly
complicated in Congress with party
politics. But when such Board, OF
ticially appointed for this express pur
pose, had made a prolonged examina
ton, and had declared him to be no
guilty of the offences of which thu
court martial had convicted him, his
restoration became only a matter O
time. A technical objection cause,
President Arthur to veto the bill passeC
by the Forty-elgth Congress for his re
lief, but the action taken by the Forty
ninth has been more fortunate.
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