[863] The result of the battle was the same at every point: the Confederate lines had not been broken; they were compact and ready to resume the offensive: this, therefore, was a serious check for the Federals, and left them in a position all the more dangerous because their chieftain did not as yet appreciate its gravity. Far from endorsing the reproaches Pope has lavished upon Porter, we have been led, while writing this new account, to modify the judgment, far too severe, we had our self passed upon the latter general. This recital, in fact, clearly proves that if Porter exhibited too much prudence in a situation which, altogether unforeseen, restored to him his freedom of action, this excess of prudence was productive of no evil effects upon the Federal army; for if he remained immovable with six brigades in front of him or within reach, the Confederates kept eight which did not fire a single musket-shot during the whole day. As we stated (p. 292), he did not receive the order of attack, which Pope sent him at half-past 4 o'clock, in time to execute it: this order only reached him about half-past 6 o'clock, and the nature of the ground rendered any aggressive movement in the dark impossible. Even if he had been able to execute this movement, the day's results could certainly not have been changed.
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[863] The result of the battle was the same at every point: the Confederate lines had not been broken; they were compact and ready to resume the offensive: this, therefore, was a serious check for the Federals, and left them in a position all the more dangerous because their chieftain did not as yet appreciate its gravity. Far from endorsing the reproaches Pope has lavished upon Porter, we have been led, while writing this new account, to modify the judgment, far too severe, we had our self passed upon the latter general. This recital, in fact, clearly proves that if Porter exhibited too much prudence in a situation which, altogether unforeseen, restored to him his freedom of action, this excess of prudence was productive of no evil effects upon the Federal army; for if he remained immovable with six brigades in front of him or within reach, the Confederates kept eight which did not fire a single musket-shot during the whole day. As we stated (p. 292), he did not receive the order of attack, which Pope sent him at half-past 4 o'clock, in time to execute it: this order only reached him about half-past 6 o'clock, and the nature of the ground rendered any aggressive movement in the dark impossible. Even if he had been able to execute this movement, the day's results could certainly not have been changed.
Philadelphia, Jos. H. Coates and co., 1883.
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