Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/107

Rh bert Pike. Thomas B. Thorpe. “ Frank Forester." ' George Wilkins Kendall. Charles G. Leland. and Thomas Picton. The popularity of Mr. Porter was great. Nearly all his correspondents. and the ma- 'orin of his subscribers. were personal friends. lis sobriquet of “ York's Tall Son " was bestowed not less in recognition of his social qualities than of his lofty stature—six feet and four inches. A writer says of him: " His mind was comprehensive. his perception keen. his deductions clear and con- cise. whilst his judgment and decisions in all sport— ing matters were more reliable and more respected than any other man's in this country. He was the father of a school of American sporting literature. which is no less a credit to his name than it is an honor to the land that gave him birth. Many of his decisions and sporting reports will be quoted as authority for generations to come. He possessed a fund of sporting statistics unequalled by any other man in America." In February. 1-339. he purchased the “ American Turf Register and Sporting Magazine" from John S. Skinner. of Baltimore. and the periodical was thenceforth pub- lished in New York until it was ﬁnally suspended in 1844. After conducting the old " Spirit "—as it was familiarly termed—for nearly twenty-ﬁve years. he withdrew from the editorial manage- ment. and with George “'ilsz established “ Por- ter's Spirit of the Times” in September. 1856. Failing health prevented close application to the new ﬁeld of labor. He edited three collections of tales that had appeared in his journal. entitled “ The Big Bear of Arkansaw. and Other Tales " (Philadelphia. 1835); “ A Quarter Race in Ken- tucky. and Other Sketches " (18-16): and “ Major T. B. Thorpe’s Scenes in Arkansaw. and Other Sketches ” (1859): and also issued an American edition. with additions. of (‘01. Peter llawker‘s " lu- structions to Young Sportsmen" (18-16). At the time of his death he was engaged in preparinga biography of Henry William Herbert (" Frank F1 an ester "). See “ Life of “'illiam T. Porter," by Fran- cis Brinlcy (New York. 1860).

'''PORTERFIELD. Charles'''. soldier. b. in Fred- erick county. Va.. in 1750; d. on Santee riyer. S. (‘.. in October. 1780. He became a member of the ﬁrst company that. was raised in Frederick county in 1775 for service in the Revolutionary war. of which Daniel Morgan was elected captain. marched to Cambridge. near Boston. and soon afterward joined in the expedition against Quebec. and was made prisoner in the attempt on that fortress. The aﬁailing column. to which he belonged. was under the command of Col. Arnold. When that oﬂ‘icer was wounded and carried from the ground. Porter- ﬁeld. with Morgan. rushing forward. passed the ﬁrst and second barriers. After being exchanged he re—entered the service as captain in the riﬂe— Corps of Col. Morgan and partici ated in all the battles in which it was engaged uring the cam- paigns of 1777—‘8. In 1779 he was appointed by Gov. Jeﬂerson lieutenant-colonel of a Virginia regiment that had been equipped mainly at hisown expense. with which. in the spring of 1780. he marched to the relief of Charleston. S. C. He re- mained in South Carolina and joined the army of Gen. Gates a few days before the battle of Camden. His command formed part of the advanced guard of Gates‘s army. and unexpectedly met that of the enemy about one o‘clock A. M. on 16 Aug.. a moon- light night. While making a gallant resistance and holding the enemy in check. he received a mortal wound. his left leg being shattered just be- low the knee. He was carried from the ﬁeld. re— mained ten days without surgical attention. and was then taken in a cart twelve miles to Camden where the required amputation was performed. While a prisoner in Camden he was treated with great kindness and attention by both Lord Corn- wallis and Lord Rawdon. who supplied all his wants. He was paroled. but died from the effects of his wound.—llis brother. Robert. soldier. b. in Frederick county. Va" ‘22 Feb.. 17- : d. in Au- gusta county. Va.. 13 Feb.. 18-13. was appointed a lieutenant in Capt. Peter B. Hruin's company of Continental troops in Winchester. Va.. in 1776. served in Col. Daniel Morgan's regiment through the'campaigns of 1777—1). the last year was aide to Gen. William \Voodford. and was in the battles of the Brandywine. (iermantow n. and Monmouth. lle accompanied (ten. Woodford to the south in December. 1775). and participated in the siege of Charleston. S. C.. where he was surrendered a pris- oner of war in May.17S(L He was appointed a brigadier-general of Virginia militia during the war of 1812. and commanded at (.‘amp Ilolly. Va. Gen. Porterﬁeld was a county magistrate for more than ﬁfty years. and was twice high-sheriff.

'''PORTIER. Michel'''. R. C. bishop. b. in Mont- brison. Frame. 7 Sept.. 1795 ; (l. in Mobile. Ala.. 14 May. 1-559. He entered the Seminary of Lyons. but before completing his theological studies he met with Bishop Dubourg. of Louisiana. who had come to France in search of missionaries for his diocese. Young Portier consented to follow the prelate to the l'nited States. and reached Annapo- is. 4 Sept. 1817. After a visit of several months to the home of (‘harles Carroll. of Carrollton. he ﬁnished his studies in St. Mary's seminary. Balti- more. and was ordained priest in St. Louis by Bishop Dubourg in 1818. Shortly afterward there was an epidemic of yellow fever in the country. during which he was unceasing in his attendance on the sick and dying. He was ﬁnally attacked by the disease. and on his recovery was summoned to New Orleans. where he established a school on the Lancasterian system. He was shortly afterward appointed vicar-general of the diocese. The rapid increase in the number of Roman Catholics rendered a division of the see of Louisiana necessary. and in 1825 Alabama. Florida. and Arkansas were created a vicariate. Dr. Portier was nominated vicar-apostolic the same year. He was consecrated bishop of lcna in parlibus by Bishop Rosati in St. Louis on 5 Nov. 18:26. There were only two churches in his vicariate—one in Pensacola and the other in St. Augustine—and the three priests. who were the sole missionaries in thisextensive territory. belonged to other dioceses. to which they were recalled shortly after his consecration. His poverty was so great that he was unable to purchase the insignia appropriate to his rank. He remained in Mobile until the summer of 1827. when he began his episcopal visitation. travelling on horseback to Pensacola. Tallahassee. and St. Augustine. wing to the heat that prevailed (hiring his journey. he was attacked by a fever at the latter town and narrowly escaped death. When he had partially recovered he resumed his labors in St. Augustine and its neighborhood. The absence of priests for some years had resulted in a total neglect of religious obligations among the Spanish population. and he found it necessary to instruct even the adults in the rudiments of Christian doctrine. He remained until the end of September. constantly preaching and instructing in Spanish and English. except when stricken by fever. and wrought an extraordinary change in the habits of the people. His English sermons were attended by the members of all denominations. and he received substantial aid also