Porter [Public 160, p.27], I request that you furnish me with the original record of the Porter court-martial, the report thereon by Judge-Advocate-General Holt to President Lincoln, and any reply thereto filed with the President before approval of sentence that may be among the records of your office; also a copy of the President's instructions to Colonel Holt, of January 12, 1863.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ROBERT N. SCOTT,

Lieutenant-Colonel Third Artillery, in Charge.

WAR DEPARTMENT, JUDGE-ADVOCATE-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, D. C., August 10, 1886.

Lieutenant Colonel ROBERT N. SCOTT,

War Records Office:

COLONEL: In compliance with your request of the 7th instant, I have the honor to transmit herewith the original record of the trial of Brigadier General Fitz John Porter, U. S. Army, together with the exhibits. The original review of the proceedings by Judge-Advocate-General Holt is not on file in this office, and does not appear to have ever been recorded in its books. A printed copy of the report is attached to the record. No reply thereto filed with the President before approval of sentence is found among the records of the office. I also inclose an official copy of the letter of President Lincoln, dated January 12, 1863, directing Judge-Advocate-General Holt to review the proceedings.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. NORMAN LIEBER,

Acting Judge-Advocate-General.

[Inclosure.]

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, January 12, 1863.

The Judge-Advocate-General is instructed to revise the proceedings of the court-martial in the case of Major General Fitz John Porter, and to report fully upon any legal questions that may have arisen in them, and upon the bearing of the testimony in reference to the charges and specifications exhibited against the accused and upon which he was tried.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.