Court-martial of Fitz John Porter facts for kids
The court-martial of Fitz John Porter was a big event during the American Civil War. It happened from November 1862 to January 1863. Major General Fitz John Porter was found guilty of not following orders and acting poorly in front of the enemy. He was removed from his command. Later, it was found that the court-martial was unfair. Porter was given his rank back in the United States Army.
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Who Was Fitz John Porter?
Porter was a professional army officer. He came from a family of famous navy officers. His cousins included David Farragut and David Dixon Porter. They were the first four-star admirals in the U.S. Navy. Porter finished from West Point in 1845. He was eighth in his class. He served bravely as an artillery officer in the Mexican War.
After the war, Porter worked in different places. He was an instructor at West Point. There, he became good friends with George B. McClellan and William B. Franklin. He also worked for Robert E. Lee.
As tensions grew in 1860, Porter visited places in the South. He helped prepare for the upcoming war. He advised that Major Robert Anderson should lead the defenses at Fort Sumter. When the war started, Porter first worked for Major General Robert Patterson. But his friend McClellan asked him to join the Army of the Potomac. Porter was then put in charge of a division.
When McClellan led the Army of the Potomac south, he changed how the army was set up. He created two new units. One was the V Corps under Porter. The other was the VI Corps under Franklin. McClellan trusted his old friends a lot. He relied on Porter especially. Porter often acted for McClellan on the battlefield. One time, at the Battle of Malvern Hill, Porter showed he was a great commander.
Porter at the Second Battle of Bull Run
After McClellan's plan failed, Porter's corps was moved. It joined the Army of Virginia under Major General John Pope. Porter and his friend McClellan did not like Pope. Porter sent messages to Major General Ambrose Burnside. He complained about Pope's poor leadership. Burnside shared these messages with others. This included President Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was not happy, as Pope was his choice.
On August 27, Confederate soldiers under Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson took Pope's supply base. It was at Manassas Junction. Pope thought the main Confederate army was far away. He became worried and sent many orders. Pope ordered Porter to join him at Bristoe Station by morning. Porter was to bring his whole corps.
The major-general commanding directs that you start at 1 o'clock to-night, and come forward with your whole corps...Hooker has had very severe action with the enemy...[and the enemy has] been driven back, but is retiring along the railroad. We must drive him from Manassas, and clear the country between that place and Gainesville, where McDowell is... It is necessary, on all accounts, that you should be here by daylight.
Porter talked with his commanders, Major General George W. Morell and Brigadier General George Sykes. They discussed if they could march that night. Both generals said it was too dark and unsafe. They did not know where the Confederate forces were. So, the order to move at 1:00 am was ignored. The V Corps moved to Bristoe Station the next morning, August 28. By that evening, Porter's men were at Greenwich. This made him the westernmost commander in Pope's army.
The next morning, August 29, Pope was busy fighting Jackson. Jackson was defending along an unfinished railroad. Meanwhile, Porter and parts of Major General Irvin McDowell's corps pushed back a Confederate cavalry attack. Porter and McDowell then received a confusing order from Pope. This was called the "Joint Order." It talked about attacks on Jackson's left side. But it was unclear what Porter and McDowell should do. It did not clearly tell them to attack.
Pope launched another attack on Jackson. He thought Porter and McDowell would attack Jackson's right side. But Brigadier General John Buford reported that Major General James Longstreet's Confederate wing was arriving. By noon, Longstreet's units were already guarding Jackson's right. McDowell, the senior officer, decided not to attack. For unknown reasons, he did not tell Pope about Longstreet's arrival.
Your line of march brings you in on the enemy's right flank. I desire you to push forward into action at once on the enemy's flank, and, if possible, on his rear, keeping your right in communication with General Reynolds. The enemy is massed in the woods in front of us, but can be shelled out as soon as you engage their flank...
At 4:30 pm, Pope was frustrated. He sent an order to attack Jackson's right flank. But his nephew, who carried the message, got lost. The message did not arrive until 6:30 pm. Even if it had arrived on time, Porter could not attack Jackson's right and stay in touch with another division. To attack would put Porter's corps between two Confederate forces. Porter again ignored Pope's orders. Pope still thought Porter was attacking. He launched another costly attack on Jackson's left. During this attack, McDowell finally told Pope about Longstreet. Pope then had to admit Longstreet was there. When the attack failed, Pope ordered Porter to bring his corps to the main battlefield. Porter did so, but sent one of his brigades to Centreville.
That night, Pope met with his generals. They argued about what the Confederates would do. Pope insisted Longstreet had only come to help Jackson retreat. Porter said Jackson was still strong and ready to fight. McDowell claimed he could not find proof that Jackson's corps was holding its position. Pope ordered another big attack on Jackson for the next day. Porter's corps was to lead it.
On the morning of August 30, Porter's corps got ready to attack. It took them two hours to start moving. Some of Porter's men had to cross open land and go uphill. They faced heavy fire from Confederate cannons and soldiers. Still, they broke the Confederate line. But Confederate reinforcements pushed them back. Some Confederate brigades ran out of bullets. They even threw large rocks. Longstreet's cannons also fired on Union reinforcements.
As Porter's corps fell back, Longstreet attacked. This pushed Pope's whole army back. A strong defense by some Union soldiers helped stabilize the situation. The Union army was able to retreat from Manassas in an orderly way.
Why Was Porter Arrested?
After the battle, Pope was removed from command. His corps joined McClellan's army. Pope was sent to Minnesota. But he kept in touch with his friends in Washington. McClellan then won a victory at the Battle of Antietam. But he did not completely defeat the Confederates. He was nervous to use Porter's V Corps. Porter reportedly told him, "Remember, General, I command the last reserve of the last Army of the Republic."
McClellan did not take any strong action after the battle. Lee's army went back to Virginia to get ready to fight again. On November 5, McClellan was ordered to give his command to Burnside. Two and a half weeks later, on November 25, Porter was arrested. He no longer had the protection of his friend McClellan.
What Were the Charges?
Porter was accused of two things under military rules. These were for his actions at the Second Battle of Bull Run.
- First Charge: Not Following a Lawful Order
* Not moving to Bristoe Station at 1:00 am on August 27. * Not moving his corps towards Gainesville on August 29. * Not attacking Jackson's right side on August 29. * Not starting an attack on Jackson's right side immediately on August 29. * Sending one brigade to Centreville on August 29, instead of bringing his whole corps to the battlefield.
- Second Charge: Bad Behavior in Front of the Enemy
* Not attacking Jackson's right side on August 29, but falling back instead. * Falling back on August 29, knowing his corps was needed, without checking the enemy's strength. * Falling back on August 29, knowing Pope's attacks were failing, which helped the Confederates win. * Moving slowly to attack on August 30, and not fighting hard or inspiring his troops.
The first charge tried to show that Porter's actions caused the Confederates to win. Pope believed that if Porter had moved earlier, Longstreet would not have been able to help Jackson. The second charge accused Porter of not being brave. Porter said he was "not guilty" to all charges.
The Court
The trial was led by Colonel Joseph Holt. The Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton, reportedly chose the court members himself. Stanton was against McClellan.
Some of the court members included:
- Major General David Hunter, the court's President. He was a friend of Lincoln.
- Major General E.A. Hitchcock, who advised Lincoln on war matters.
- Brigadier General James A. Garfield, a hero who later became President.
Porter chose Reverdy Johnson as his lawyer. Johnson was a well-known lawyer. He had supported Stephen A. Douglas against Lincoln. But he was known to be against slavery. He also helped keep Maryland in the Union.
The Trial
The trial was open to the public and newspapers. Many people saw the trial through political lenses. Newspapers printed what was said. The prosecution found officers from Pope's army to testify. They wanted to clear their own names after the defeat. McDowell, who was also being investigated, eagerly blamed Porter. The maps used in the trial were from Pope. They supported his story.
Porter's defense argued that Pope was not good at his job. They said Porter's actions had saved the army from an even worse defeat. Sykes and Morell said that moving on August 27 was too risky. Even Burnside testified for Porter. He talked about the messages criticizing Pope. McClellan also testified. He said most of the army agreed with Porter's views on Pope's leadership.
Traitor to my country! When did treason so peril and labor to rescue it from destruction?... If the charge had not assumed the solemn form that has been given to it, it would be received everywhere where my whole conduct is known, as ludicrous, false, or the creation of a morbid or distempered brain.
Both sides made the case about Porter's character. The prosecution said Porter was too proud. They said he cared more about his career than his country. They mentioned his past ties to Lee and McClellan. They argued he let his dislike for Pope stop him from obeying orders.
The defense said Porter was an American hero. They said he was wronged by a small-minded former commander. This commander happened to be friends with the President. Porter's good service before the war showed his loyalty.
The court voted in secret. But the results leaked to the press. Porter was found guilty of both charges. On January 21, the court ordered Porter to be removed from the army. He was also "forever disqualified from holding any office of trust or profit under the Government of the United States."
Porter Tries to Clear His Name
The conviction did not end the problem. It made it worse. Along with other army problems, the trial made people question the army's leaders. Porter immediately tried to overturn the conviction. He carefully mapped the battlefield. He also wrote down what witnesses said. With help from friends, especially McClellan, he asked famous people to write letters for him. They also tried to get state and local leaders to speak out against the government.
Porter also pointed out how the court was chosen. He said a political group had fixed the court against him. This was to protect their own interests. Many officers who spoke for Porter were punished. In the newspapers, Porter was called a traitor. Some even said he should have been executed.
After the war, Porter wrote to Lee and Longstreet. He asked for their help. He also asked to see captured Confederate papers. Both Lee and Longstreet replied. Longstreet gave many details. Porter used this evidence to get supporters. They sent requests to President Andrew Johnson for a new trial. Famous generals like Ulysses S. Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman also supported Porter.
However, the President could not hold a new trial. Grant, who was President later, did not want to change the decision. Finally, in 1878, President Rutherford B. Hayes started a new investigation. This was led by Major General John Schofield.
The Schofield Commission
Schofield was joined by Brigadier General Alfred Terry and Colonel George W. Getty. They looked at all the evidence Porter had gathered. They also interviewed people involved in the battle.
On March 19, 1879, the commission gave its report to President Hayes. They said that Porter should be cleared. They recommended that his court-martial findings be canceled. They also said he should get his old positions back. The report found Porter innocent of any wrongdoing on August 29, 1862. In fact, they said he saved the Union Army from a bigger defeat.
The report said Porter's actions were "obedient, subordinate, faithful, and judicious." They said his actions "saved the Union army from disaster." The commission focused on clearing Porter. But it also blamed Pope and McDowell for much of the confusion. Pope was described as not knowing what was happening.
The report said McDowell was unsure and did not communicate well. It said McDowell should have taken command of both corps. Instead, he hesitated. He left Porter with fewer men to face Longstreet's larger force. The report said McDowell might have lied in his testimony. After this report, McDowell's reputation suffered.
The commission did find fault with Porter's behavior before the battle. They said his negative comments about Pope were not good. These comments led to people misunderstanding his actions.
Even with the commission's findings, Porter still faced political opposition. President Hayes could not pardon him. Porter was still seen as a traitor by some political groups. When Hayes left office, James A. Garfield became President. Garfield had voted to convict Porter.
On May 6, 1882, President Chester A. Arthur changed Porter's sentence. He gave Porter back his right to hold public office. But he did not agree or disagree with the Schofield Commission's report.
There was much political debate in Congress. Some politicians strongly opposed Porter's reinstatement. Despite this, a bill passed Congress. President Cleveland signed it in 1886. This bill restored Porter to his army rank of colonel. But he did not get any back pay. Two days later, Porter retired from the army. He felt he had been proven right.
Statue
Later in his life, General Porter worked with a sculptor. They created a statue to remember his story. The statue stands today in Haven Park in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It has metal plaques at its base. These explain the mistake of Porter's court-martial.
Today
The strong political anger around Porter's trial is mostly forgotten today. But Porter's detailed work can still be seen. At Manassas National Battlefield Park, the site of the Second Battle of Bull Run, Porter's maps were used. When a new museum was built, it disturbed some land. The park was restored to its 1862 condition. Using Porter's very detailed maps, they were able to make the battlefield look almost exactly as it did during the war. This makes it a very accurate historical site.
Porter's papers are available at the Library of Congress.
