The Court-Martial of Maj. Gen. Fitz John Porter

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The Court-Martial of Maj. Gen. Fitz John Porter

From The Official Records

Charges and Specifications

Defense of the Accused

Finding of the Court

1878, Board of Officers, Fitz-John Porter Case

After the Battle of Second Manassas, Porter was blamed by Pope for his defeat. Pope claimed that Porter had been insubordinate, and during the fall of 1862, after the Antietam crisis, Pope preferred court-martial charges against Porter. The primary allegation was insubordination. Because the Lincoln administration was (a) greatly embarrassed by the failure of its hand-picked commander Pope, and ( enraged at McClellan's failure to pursue Lee into Virginia after Antietam, it wanted to send a message to McClellan and try to save some face. So, it selected reliable officers to serve on the court-martial panel, including some of the subordinate officers who served under Porter at Second Manassas.