Year: 1862

Gen. Fitz John Porter, the military
favorite of Gen. Mcclellan, Immediately
after the return of the army of the Po-
tomac from the Peninsula TO Washing
ton, prepared charges against Brigadier
General Martindale, which we're recently
Investigated by Court Martial The
trial resulted in the triumphant vindica-
ton of Gen. Martindale. That officer
made magnificent speech in his own
defense, the latter part of which we copy
as affording an insight into some few of
the mysteries Of the Peninsula campaign:


General Butter
field has testified that he described
his own feelings and mine as l then
stated them, lamenting the order to
retire as a heart-breaking order to the
brave fellows who were wounded and left
behind, and then understanding me to
propose that sombody or something
should remain with those wounded men,
and not abandon them But / am per
mitted now to appear and speak for my
self, and to disclose my unprecedented
thoughts in that interview. l do not
claim that my declarations shall be re-
ceived as evidence in the case, but /
do claim that if they are reasonable
solution of the evidence, and not incon-
sistent with it, they ought to be adopted
as truth. And declare, that, while l
can no more repeat the precise words
than the witnesses who have spoken, |
gave expression to sentiment of fidelity
to my command, and asked the officers
about me whether, in the midst of ruin
Gus disorder which was passing before us,
and which we could see and understand,
zee ought not to remain Scith our men
and surrender, rather than suffer them to
be dbdndoned7 1t may not be easy to
recall the real peril which at that instant
seemed to be impending over the army
and the country. The ruin of our cause
was staring us in the face We had
rested for month within FIVE miles of
the City of Richmond after marching up
the Peninsula, confident in purpose and
in power to take that city as conquerers.
The rank and file never thought of igno-
minious retreat But the battle of Gaines
Mill, where a corps, commanded by Gen.


L. j. Porter, supposed to be the selected
body of the army, had chosen its own
ground and awaited the assault, resulted
in an inglorious defeat There were
those who felt bitter grief at the result of
that battle, and that it ought to have
been, and NTH a suitable disposition of
our pOlcer, could hare been won. But it
broke the hope and spirit. of the men. 1t
came on their hearts and pride with
crushing effect There was an earnest
} desire to retrieve the disaster consequent
on that humiliating defeat, and when we
found there was hope yet, and that from
the James River as our base, it was in
tended to prosecute the campaign, that
expectation was ray ofsunshine through
the gloom in which the battle at Gaines
| Mill had shrouded the army Morti6ca-
ton, distress, Indignation, disgust, were
the emotions excited by the thought that
the Spring and Summer campaign was to
prove an abortion and disgrace, instead
of a succession of victories. Thus de-
pressed, and yet consoled, the army
fought its way to the James River. There
was JOY in the camps of our division as
the men planted their shelter tents at
Turkey Bend, on the morning of the 30th
of June. No man in that division had a
thought that there was to be further re-
treat In that spirit we retraced our
march back to Malvern Hill, and took
our several positions to participate in the
battle then raging in our front In that
that spirit we fought next day. The men
were inspired with the most fervid and
devoted purpose; they knew and felt that
the cause of the country hung on the is
sue of that struggle. They drove back
the rebels-our victory was complete.


" In such a moment the heart of him
who has escaped the perils of battle is
softened with unwonted sympathy as he
collects his wounded men together, and
speaks kind words, applauding their
gallant conduct, and holding out the
thoughts of friends and country, who
will hear of them and talk of them in
terms of pride and hearty praise 1t was
| in such frame of mind that, at mid
night, we were aroused from our bivou-
acs on the battlefield, and told that we
must begin again to retreat An earth
quake could not have produced astonish-
ment more startling. My brigade rose
from the battlefield. 1t had been well
disciplined, and we began to retreat with
ranks well closed. AS the proof has re-
vealed, on reaching the crest of the hill,
I endeavored to preserve that order.


" 1t was broken, despite my efforts to
prevent it ,oas the last General of
The DiUision to leare that hill, when, in
the order of march, had it been preserv-
ed, should have been at the head of the
column. l overlook Gen. Butterfeld,
who was leaving without his brigade, and
deploring the retreat, which, was incom-
prehensible to him and to me- We were
abandoning our brave fellows, who were
bleeding in the hospitals and on the field
behind u.s. Where corid we make bet
ter stand on the James River, than on
the victorious battlefield of Malvern 2
All order had been broken. To my view,
as emerged from the de6le, and en-
countered Gen. Morell, for whom l had
been waiting more than an hour, the