The Court Martial of General Fitz John Porter
Sat 28 Jun
|London
A military hero one day, the next he was on trial for his life. Was General Fitz John Porter's court martial fair or fixed?
Time & Location
28 Jun 2025, 13:00 – 16:00 BST
London, Civil Service Club, Great Scotland Yard, London SW1A 2HJ, UK
About the Event
Before his abrupt removal in November 1862, Fitz John Porter was a key U.S. Civil War general. Porter twice defeated the vaunted Robert E. Lee. He was a trusted confidante of Army of the Potomac commander George McClellan. But therein lay the problem. General John Pope, a bitter McClellan rival and egged on by those who supported policies on emancipation and “hard war” both McClellan and Porter opposed, charged Porter with misconduct in the face of the enemy amounting to treason. The result was court martial, conviction and disgrace.
Porter fought to redeem his reputation. A quarter-century later, Porter was restored to the Army. But doubts about Porter’s 1862 conduct and where his loyalty truly lay persisted. Was he in fact fairly convicted after all?
Lawyer and Civil War author Kevin C. Donovan will explore key aspects of the trial with a lawyer’s eye and answer the question of whether…
Tickets
VENUE TICKET
Sale ends
27 Jun, 12:00 BST
This ticket is for people attending the meeting in person at the Civil Service club. If you are a UK Income Tax payer, please consider making a Voluntary donation as this enable us to claim tax relief on the ticket price. Tea, coffee and biscuits are included. Also includes access to the CSC bar before and after the event. A 50% refund will be given on the day to Full Time Students on presentation of a Student Card.
£8.00
RAFFLE TICKET (VENUE ONLY)
Sale ends
27 Jun, 12:00 BST
We will be holding a raffle of books and other memorabilia. You must be present in person to participate, but to save time on the day you can purchase these online in advance. ONLINE RAFFLE TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED NO LATER THAN MIDDAY THE DAY BEFORE THE EVENT.
£1.00
ONLINE TICKET
Sale ends
28 Jun, 13:30 BST
This is a hybrid physical and online event (via Zoom). A small fee is charged for online access to hybrid events to cover costs. Zoom attendees cannot participate in the raffle. The online link will be sent to you on your email receipt. FullTime Students are eligible to attend free by Zoom - please contact us for a discount code
£3.00
DONATION (VOLUNTARY)
We welcome voluntary donations to enable us to continue our education and conservation projects on both sides of the Atlantic. You can now make a donation of any value from £1 upwards on a single 'ticket'.
£
Total
£0.00