Question by the COURT. Did you, after the investment of Yorktown, send any orders to General McDowell or did you request any orders to be sent to General McDowell? If so, what were the tenor and object of such orders and what reply was received from General McDowell or from those to whom the request was made?

Answer. I sent no orders to General McDowell after the investment of Yorktwon, for the reason that I received the information that he was detached from my command on the very day we arrived in front of Yorktown.

Question by the COURT. When you caused the occupation of Hanover Court-House did you expect the co-operation of General McDowell's corps? On what were such expectations base, for what purpose was the co-operation desired, and what would have been the probable result of a junction of McDowell and Porter at that time or shortly afterward?

Answer. I hoped for the co-operation of General McDowell's army, although that expectation was not the only reason for occupying Hanover Court-House. The hope of co-operation was based on information I received at various times from Washington. The purpose for which co-operation was desired was to increase our available strength sufficiently to insure the capture of Richmond, and, in my opinion, the junction of McDowell and Porter would have enabled us to have accomplished the object of the campaign; that is, the capture of Richmond.

Question by the COURT. Was such co-operation practicable and by what routes, and was it consistent, in you opinion, with the safety of the captain?

Answer. The co-operation was practicable either by the direct land route from Fredericksburg to Hanover Court-House or by the water route, and was consistent, in my opinion, with the safety of the capital.

Question by a MEMBER. What forces at that time could the enemy have disposed of for the threatening of Washington, and by what routes and in what time could they have been moved?

Answer. The witness here desired permission to ask whether or not the questions propounded were relevant to the matter under investigation.

The court was cleared.

The court was opened and the following decision announced: "That the question be withdrawn."

Question by the COURT. What was the distance at any one time between the pickets of General McDowell and Porter?

Answer. I do not know what the position of General McDowell's pickets were. I understood some time after the occupation of Hanover Court-House by General Porter that when General Porter was at Hanover Court-House General McDowell's cavalry force (when I understood to be a reconnaissance) were 12 miles from them, but I do not know the position of General McDowell's pickets.

Question by the COURT. You state that you received the fullest co-operation from General McDowell in preparing the plans for the peninsular Campaign as corps commander; had he knowledge of those plans and was he consulted in respect to them?

Answer. Yes.

Question by the COURT. Were those plans for the Peninsula Campaign which embraced the employment of the corps of General McDowell know to the War Department or the President?

Answer. Yes.

Question by the COURT. You have stated that troops were retained for the defenses of Washington. Did those plans provide for a force to be retained from the troops then under you command; and, if so