Description:

Fitz John Porter
n.p., ca. 1863
Fitz John Porter Signed & Dedicated Defense Against Bull Run Court-Martial, With Associations to 2 Mid-Atlantic Senators
Signed pamphlet
A presentation pamphlet signed and inscribed by Major General John Fitz Porter (1822-1901) as: "Compliments of / F. J. Porter" near the top edge of the front cover. The pamphlet was presented to U.S. Senator from Delaware James A. Bayard, Jr. (1799-1880), as evidenced by the manuscript inscription as "Senator Bayard" at the top. N.d., n.p. The pamphlet was written by Porter's defense attorney, Reverdy Johnson, and entitled: "A Reply to the Review of Judge Advocate General Holt of the Proceedings, Findings and Sentence, of the General Court Martial, In the Case of Major General Fitz John Porter, And A Vindication of That Officer" (Baltimore: Printed by John Murphy & Co. Publishers, Booksellers, Printers and Stationers, 1863). With yellow softcover wraps. Expected wear to the covers including minor isolated areas of loss to the back cover. The spine shows considerable surface loss but is still intact. The majority of the inner pages is very clean and bright; some toning and staining after p. 63. Else near fine. 5-88pp. 5.75" x 9.125." 8vo.

Johnson's "Reply" reads in part:

"To vindicate a citizen unjustly assailed, is the duty of all men who properly estimate the value of individual character and its influence on the public good. The duty is the more imperative, if the services of such citizen have contributed to the honor of his country, and been rendered with great toil and solicitude, and amidst frequent and imminent perils…

The high esteem in which, in common with all, the writer held Porter, was, if possible, increased after he became his counsel… For weeks, seeing him almost constantly, not only in the Court by whom his case was tried, but in private consultation, he had every opportunity of becoming acquainted with the man, and as far as he is capable of judging, with the officer. He witnessed in the former … a confident consciousness of innocence of the charges which he was to answer, which, independent of all other evidence, satisfied him that such charges were in every particular wholly unfounded…" (p. 5-6)

Reverdy Johnson (1796-1876) served as the principal defense attorney representing Fitz John Porter in his court-martial case, shortly before assuming his seat as U.S. Senator from Maryland, from 1863 - 1868. The events leading up to Porter's court-martial were as follows: Major General John Pope, Porter's commanding officer at the Second Battle of Bull Run (aka Second Battle of Manassas), which took place on August 28-30, 1862, had accused Porter of insubordination following the battle. Porter was relieved of his corps command, and on November 25, 1862, he was arrested and court-martialed. Porter was prosecuted by Judge Advocate General Joseph Holt. His military tribunal, comprised of nine generals/judges handpicked by U.S. Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, found Porter guilty of the charges of misconduct and obedience on January 10, 1863. Lincoln approved the verdict, and Porter was dismissed from the U.S. Army on January 21, 1863.

Porter spent the rest of his life trying to clear his name. There was some post-trial evaluation and review; besides Johnson's defense pamphlet, published in the immediate aftermath of the verdict in July 1863, Porter was exonerated by a special military commission in the late 1870s. This was followed up by President Ulysses S. Grant commutation of Porter's sentence, and the restoration of Porter's military commission, in 1886.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 5.75" x 9.125"
  • Medium: Signed pamphlet

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