Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/102

76 from congress, which was the fourth that he re- ceived during the war, including the general one for the capture of New Orleans. He was promoted viee-admiral on 25 July, I860, and served as super- intendent of the U. S. naval academy till 1869, when he was detailed for duty in the navy depart- ment in Washington. On 15 Aug., 1870, he was appointed admiral, which rank he held for two decades. He was the author of a " Life of Com- modore David Porter " (Albany, 1875) : a romance entitled "Allan Dare and Robert le Diable" (New York, 1885), which has been dramatized, and was produced in New York in 1887; "Incidents and Anecdotes of the Civil War "(1885); "Harry Mar- line" (1886); and " Ilistoryof the Navy in the War of the Rebellion " (New York, 1887). Another son, Theodoric Henry, soldier, b. in Washington, D. C., 10 Aug., 1817; d. in Texas, 19 April, 1846, was ap- pointed a cadet at West Point, resigning after two years. He was appointed by President Jackson 2d lieutenant in the 4th infantry, served under Gen. Zachary Taylor at the beginning of the war with Mexico", and was the first American officer killed in the conflict, having been sent with twelve men on a scouting expedition near Port Brown on the Rio (irande, where he was surrounded by a large force of Mexican cavalry. The commanding officer called upon Lieut. Porter to surrender, which be refused, and was cut to pieces, only one of his escort escaping. Another son. Henry Ogden, naval officer, b. in Washington, D. C., in 1823 ; d. in Baltimore, Md., in 1872, was appointed midshipman in 1840, resigning in 1847. He served in one of Walker's expeditions to Central America, where he fought bravely, and was wounded several times. Afterward he was appointed lieutenant in the U. S. revenue marine, and during the civil war was made acting master in the navy, 24 April, 1862, serving as executive officer on the " Hatteras " when that vessel was sunk by the Confederate steamer " Alabama." He died from the effect of his wounds. Com. David's nephew. David H., naval officer, b. in New Castle, Del., in 1804 ; d. near Havana, Cuba, in March, 1828. entered the U. S. navy as midshipman on 4 Aug., 1814, became lieu- tenant on 13 Jan., 1825, and resigned on 26 July, 1826. He joined his uncle while commander-in- chief of the Mexican navy, and in 1827 sailed in command of the brig " Guerrero," built by Henry Eckford, of New York, taking this vessel to Vera Cruz. He fell in with a fleet of 50 merchant ves- sels, fifteen miles below Havana, sailing under con- voy of two Spanish war-vessels, carrying together 29 guns. Driving them into the port of Little Mariel, after a conflict of two hours he silenced the fire of the two brigs, cutting them severely, and sunk a number of the convoy. A twenty-four- pound shot from a battery on shore cut the cable of the " Guerrero," and the vessel drifted on shore, and went afterward to sea to repair damages. In the mean time she was attacked by the " Lealtad," of 64 guns, and after a very severe engagement, lasting two hours and a quarter, in which Capt. Porter was killed, eighty of his officers and men being either killed or wounded, the masts and sails of the "Guerrero" all shot away and the hull rid- dled, the "Guerrero" was surrendered and taken into Havana. David Dixon's cousin, Fitz-Jolin. soldier, b. in Portsmouth, N. H., 13 June, 1822. i- 1 he son of Commander John Porter, of the U. S. navy. He studied at Phillips Exeter academy, as gradu- ated at the U. S. military academy in 1S4.">. and as- signed to the 4th artillery, in which he became 2d lieutenant, is .luiic. 1*411. II,. -erved in the Mei- can war, was com missioned 1st lieutenant mi 'J!i Ma. and received the brevet ,,f captain mi * Sept.. 1*47, for services at Molino del Rev, and that of major for Chapulteprc. During the assault on the city of Mexico he was wounded at Belen gate. Afterward he was on garrison duty until 9 July, 1849, when he was appointed assistant instructor of artillery at West Point. He became adjutant there in 1853-'4, and was instructor of artillery and cavalry from l" May. 1854, till 11 Sept., 1855. In 1856 he was appointed as- sistant adjutant -gen- eral with the rank of captain, and he served under Gen. Albert Sid- ney Johnston in the Utah expedition of 1857-60. In 1860 he became assistant in- spector - general, with headquarters in New York city, and super- intended the protec- tion of the railroad be- tween Baltimore and Harrisburg during the I '.a hi more riots. When communication was interrupted with Washington at the breaking out of the civil war. he assumed the responsibility of reply- ing in the affirmative to telegrams from Missouri asking permission to muster troops for the protec- tion of that state. His act was approved by the war department. During this period he also organized volunteers in Pennsylvania. On 14 May, 1861, he became colonel of the 15th infantry, a new regiment, and on 17 May, 1861, he was made brigadier-general of volunteers, and assigned to duty in Washington. In 1862 he participated in the Virginia peninsular campaign, served during the siege of Yorktown from 5 April till 4 May, 1862, and upon its evacua- tion was governor of that place for a short time. He was given command of the 5th corps, which formed the right wing of the army and fought the battles of Mechanicsville, 26 June, 1862, and Gaines's Mills, 27 June, 1862. At Malvern Hill, 1 July, 1862, he commanded the left flank, which mainly resisted the assaults of that day. He received the brevet of brigadier-general in the regular army for gallant and meritorious conduct at the bat- tle of Chickahominy, Va., 27 June. 1862. He was made major-general of volunteers, 4 July, 1862. and temporarily attached to Gen. John Pope's Army of Virginia. His corps, although ordered to advance, was unable to move forward at the second bat- tle of Bull Run, 29 Aug., 1862, but in the afternoon of the 30th it was actively engaged, and t<> its obstinate resistance it is mainly due that the de-I'eat was not a total rout. Charges were brought against him for his inaction on the first day. and he was deprived of his command, but was restored to duty at the request of Gen. George It. MrClellan. and took part in the Maryland campaign. On 27 Nov., 1862, Gen. Porter was arraigned before a court-martial in Washington, charged with di obeying orders at the second battle of Bull Run, and on 21 Jan.. 1863, he was cashiered, "ami forever disqualified from holding any otlice of trust or profit under the government of the United States, for violation of the 9th and 52d articles of war." The justice of this verdict has been the subject of much controversy. Gen. Porter nude several appeals for a reversal of the decision ot the court-martial, and numerous petition- to open the i jse ere addressed to the president during the