Year: 1879




lowing are the salient points in the


official report in the case of General


Fitz. John Porter as taken from the


report itself: That the Recorder has


used great diligence for evidence,


especially such as might appear to


have bearing adverse to the claims


urged by Gen. Porter; that due care


had been exercised not to inquire


into the military operations or the


conduct of the officers Of the army


of Virginia, further than was neces-


sary to the full elucidation of the


subject of investigation that new


evidence in addition to the old has


placed it beyond question that


many important facts before subjects


of dispute in respect to which radi-


cally erroneous opinions were enter


tanned by Porter's accusers
and doubtless by the court


martial that pronounced him guilty.


The result has been to establish be-
yond doubt all facts essential to the
formation of a correct judgment
upon the merits of General PorGer's S
case. The report is therefore made
by the Board with entire unanimity
and without a doubt in their minds,
with reasons for conclusions and
what action justice requires should


be taken by the President. The


Board state the evidence as present
ing itself under several distinct
heads, viz First, imperfect and in
some respects erroneous statements
of facts due to partial and incorrect
knowledge in possession of wit
nesses at the time of the court
martial, and the extremely mac
curate maps and the erroneous
locations of trc >ps thereon,
by which erroneous statements were
made to convey still more erroneous
impressions; second, the opinions
and differences of prominent officers,
based upon this imperfect knowl-
edge; third, for more complete and
accurate statements of facts now
made by a large number Of eye
witesses from both contending
forces; fourth, accurate maps of the
field of operations, and the exact
positions Of the troops thereon at the
different periods of time by which the
statements otherwise contra dictory
or irreconcilable are shown to be
harmonious, and opposing opinions
are shown to have been based upon
different views of the same military
situation, and, finally, the conflicting
testimony relative to the plans
of operations, Interpretation of
orders, motives of action and rela-
tive degrees of responsibility for
unfortunate results, concerning the
charge of which General Porter
was found guilty, of not having re-
moved his command on the night of
August 29th, 1852, in obedience to
an order from Gen. Pope. The
Board report that it was a manifest
physical impossibility to march over
that road that night; that nothing
could have been gained by the at
tempt, and that it would have been
wiser if Gen. Porter had delayed
the attempt still longer than he did;
that he exercised the very ordinary
discretion of corps commander, and
that it was his plain duty to so exer
else it.


The report recites at much length
and in detail the important events
connected with the military opera
tions of the 29th of August, 1862,
and among other important facts it
is made clear that Porter's display
of troops in the early part of the
afternoon of the Doth gave rise to
the belief on the Confederate side
of an attack about to be made, and
that under this belief Longstreet
sent his reserves from the extreme
left to the extreme right of his
army and in front of Porter, thus
relieving the Union army under
other commanders from this Gems
federate force.


Gen. Porter's duty during the
afternoon of that date, the report
says, was too plain and simple to
admit of discussion, and the Board
are unable to find anything in it
subject to criticism, much less de-
censure or condemnation.
He had made frequent reports to
his superiors stating what he had
done and what he had been unable
to do; what his situation was in
respect to the enemy and what
their strength what his impressions
we're from the sounds of action to-
wards his right how he had failed
to get any communications from
any commander in the main army,
or any orders from Gems. Pope
or Mcdowell as to his designs for
the night, sending an aid~de-camp