Evening journal., 1889-05-06
ONE CENT.
DID PORTER RUN AWAYT
Ben Buffers Charge Against
the Admiral.
GEN SHERMAN NON-coMMITTAL.

An omcsr Under Butler who Was Below
Porter's Fleet on the Mississippi says
He Did Not See the Fleet Go out to
sea--MiIgtary Men Excited.
BosroN, May 6.--The story in which Admir
raj Porter is charged wish cowardice by Gem
Bssler has disturbed hornets nest, and
military men arr getting excited at the pros
pects Of legal battle in which mans
character is at stake Col C.sM. Whelden.
OF Pittsheld, who was with Gen. Butler at
New Orleans, was asked about the accuracy
Of Gen. Buffers statement ia reference ia
Admiral Porters running away at the time
the forts we're attacked below New Orleans
by Farrogut He said that there were
several statements that he could not voucb
for from personal knowledge, but in many
respects he thought Gea Butler was correct.
Not Ready TO Say 10 Was Porter.
"Were yoa a member Of. Gem Buffers
staR at the timo Fort St Philip and Fort
jackson were captured below New Orleans
in ls62r aslSed,the reporter
"No, | was not At that time vas lieu
tenant colonel of the Thirty-frst Massachu-
setts regiment which was the first one td
land when GEN Butler landed ut New Or
leans / became a member Of his staff in
january, 1863 .
''Well, colonel, after reading the Interview
with Gen. Butler, what is your opinion Of
the controversy"
II know there was nn officer connected
with the navy on the Mississippi who ran
awayn
"Are you ready to say that the officer was
Admiral Porterln
Not Likely He Went That Way.
'No, am not from my own knowledge
where were you when Farragut went up
the river TO the forts at the time Gen Butlea
was passing up behind himr
81 was stationed ON the army flagship near
the east bank OF the river where the trans
ports were anchored at the time was ON
board the boat during the whole day. Far
ragut started up the river at 3 O'Clock in the
morning, and Butler was following him on
his headquarters boat, the Saxon Porter
was between where | was stationed and Far
ragut, with fieetf'
"Could Porter have gone down the river,
as Butler says and passed your boat without
your seeing or knowing about itfT
Yes, no could II be had passed on the
other side Of the river, which he would not
have been liable 70 do under the crcun-
stanoes.n
Saw None Of Porter's Fleet
''Ilow long did you remain stationed where
You we're IN the river after Faragut went up
toward the fortsN
I'VE had orders 70 leave that afternoon,
and we started Immediately, and went down
out Of the river and came rp around into
| Sable bay near Sable Island thinlf it Il
about five miles east OF Fort ST. Philip"
"Did you see any Of Porters fleet at any
time IN passing around Sable bay@
'None at all
'Had Butler come back to where YOU were
stationed before you sailed around 70 Sable
bayT
''No; we were under Adjt Cen George
G. Strong. We sailed around with him, and
part Of the troops were landed on tho east
side Of the fort Just as | had received the
command to disembark the Thirty -fsst regi-
ment the signal was gwen to return, as tho
rebel flag had been hauled down from Fort
St Philip The troops Immediately went
aboard, and we returned TO the Mississippi
river, whore we met Butler, and went up tha
river toward New Orleans
Not willing TO Give Butler Credit.
"Where was Porterfn
"a 40 not know. dld mol see hlm, but
suppose his lotilla was in the river below the
forts. OF course ! was not thinking much
about Porter at the time, but IL his hotilla
had been around there think should have
seen IT,
"Do you remember a controversy at head.
quarters at that time, or any subsequent
time, about Porter's running awayf
"As understand il, Porter was not willing
10 ulVa Hutiar any af t,a ,t,a1 a. fo, ,.artt,tns
the fort. He claimed that the capture was
due 70 Farragut and himself
DO you believe that Butler had anything
70 do with the captureP
Certainty. ! believe that Butler had
much TO do about the capture Of the forts,
Tor when the Rebs in Fort St Philip found
that Butler's men were being landed above
them they mutinied on their officer and re-
fused TO fight, and soon after that the dag
was hauled down.