Year: 1862

The country was never nearer the Drlnk
of ruin than at that moment. For the
men, there seemed no other place to halt
and face the rebels. There had been,
from the moment / reached the crest of
Malvern Hill, race in the darkness to
decide who should get ahead. | saw the
danger. For myself l had, at that in
slant, no care-no thought of personal
peril, but singing sense of Indignation
at what appeared to be an utter aban-
donment Of the army, and the cause
which we had come to secure-and then
/ appealed to my comrades, to know
whether we at least would not stay by
our knen and surrender with them, rather
than suffer them to be abandoned. Did
l desire to avoid the personal hazards of
battle by joining the rebels in the char
acter of prisoner2 What possible adj
vantage could result from that? Impris-
onment, suffering, and foul dishonor,
were the means then by which those haz-
ards were to be summed. had passed
through many battles, winning, in the
language of General Morell, an ire
proachable reputation for bravery" /
had stood, without finching, under fire
described, before the Court as terrific.
What is there in the question " shall we
give ourselves up, or go on?" to show
that | had suddenly become alarmed for
myself, and was seeking safety through
the extraordinary process Of imprison-
ment in the hands of the rebels? Would
sane man, with sound mind, propose
such scheme to two general officers
and a brave Colonel of his own COM
mand2 1t is respectfully insisted that
such conclusion would be irrational,
distorted, wild; and there stands the
whole case which my accuser has been
able to present Let the judgment of
this Court and the country be what it
may, | know that nerer was more faith
full to honor and duty than at that mo-
ment, so help me my Creatori And it
is hard ordeal to pass, when an un-
premeditated, indignant expostulation,
prompted by sense of wrong and out
rage, mingled with humanity and tender
ness for the men under my command, is
distorted into charge ruinous to my
reputation and usefulness, and all that
hold dear on earth.


1t was the Providence of the good God
that saved the army from destruction
that night, and not the skill of comman-
ders Amid all the confusion which was
revealed in the retreet of that night, /
feel that | am wronged in being selected
as the object of an Infamous charge, pre-
ferred behind my back, and put forward,
as it is made in the letter of Gen. Por-
ter to the Comma nder-in-chief, before
the Court, by which he sought to have
me ANONYMOUSLY dismissed from his
corps without premonition or possibility
of trial or vindication. The first princi-
pie of justice, which suspends condem-
nation until an accused party may be
heard, was violated by that letter A
General, especially of superior rank, is
armed with an immense discretionary
power. He knows that the reputation
of an officer may be tarnished by his
breath. Exalted by the commission con-
ferred upon him, he is permitted to ar
raign the fidelity and bravery of his sub
ordinates. Truly, if he be equal to his
station, he will feel the responsibility which
he has assumed. He can put in peril,
| perchanee ruin forever, the reputation of
those under his command, without the
Intervention of proof-by his simple dec
laration of mistrust and suspicion of
cowardice and dishonor A generous
and brave heart ought to throb in the
breast of that man, who is invested with
such power. He is above all the au-
thority and circumspection which distin-
guishes civil tribunals, and restrains the
wrong done by malicious and unfounded
imputations. What is my position at
this moment? / have lived many years,
enjoying the confidence of the commu-
nifty from which came l served near
ly from the commencement of the war,
in the qualified language of Gen. Nor
ell, "irreproachable in battle, although
characterized for expressing opinions in
camp more fully than l ought to have
done. Has that testimony of General
Morell as to the character bore, raised
a corner of the curtain and revealed a
motive for the charge made against me
behind my back? If young and untried
Generals, Uhose obscure lires hare sud-
denly been made conspicuous By the rank
which accident or friendship has con-
ferred upon them, grow fearful of such
a character, they may iufict irreparable
injury bya malicious exercise of the au-
thority incident to their station. Did
not Gen. Porter adopt mode of attack
which would have deprived me of trial2
There is his letter, written in my abb
sence, while l was prostrated by sick
ness, and asking that 1 be discharged
ANONYMOUSLY from his corps, without
trial or explanation and on pretense
tohich is proved before you to be untrue.


Place me on one SIDE am only the
representative of other men, who may
have been exposed as have been. Can
the country afford to have the reputation
of officers or men thus summarily blast
ed? Would a good man, conscious of
his own integrity and invulnerability
against assault, permit such e1 parte in
Justice and condemnation?


"But 1 refrain from pursuing this line
of argument, though made pertinent by
the testimony in the case. / have felt
keenly, and suffered intensely, while my
name, during more than a month, has
been associated with the charge of dis
honor; and l trust this Court will par
don me, if l cannot wholly restrain the
impulse which prompts me to turn on my
assailant know him peUl He pGs