(5) That Pope had made the charges against Generals McClellan, Porter and Griffin “at Halleck’s own urgent request.”[19] Halleck was the real instigator.
(6) That Halleck had not assigned him [Pope] to command of the western department, which, as Pope says, “would at once have freed me [Pope] from the odium and abuse which have so shamefully and unjustly been heaped upon me by the papers and people,” etc.[20]
(7) That he found himself banished to the frontier.[21]
(8) That his character and reputation as a soldier had been deeply and irretrievably injured.[22]
(9) That the Government refused to allow him to publish the facts[23] and
(10) That General-in-Chief Halleck declined to acknowledge his services publicly.
All through the letters are insinuations and charges against McClellan, Porter and Griffin. And he makes categorical demand in these words:
“I said, and say now, that one of three things I was entitled to; any one of them would have satisfied me. The dictates of the commonest justice gave me the right to expect one of them at least:
1st. That the court of inquiry be at once held and the blame be fixed where it belongs. It is now too late for that, as the delay has already made the worst impression against me that is possible.
2d. That the Government should acknowledge publicly, as it had done privately, my services in Virginia, or