Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/98

74 called the "Essex Jr.," and cruised with the "Es- sex," under the command of Lieut. John Downes. Having heard that the British government had sent out vessels under Capt. James Hillyar, with orders to take the " Essex," Capt. Porter sailed to the Marquesas islands to refit, and on his way cap- tured other English vessels. He anchored in the Bay of Nukahivah, where the " Essex " was the first to carry the American flag, and named it Massachusetts bay. He assisted in subduing tin- hostile natives, and on 19 Nov., 1813, took posses- sion of the island in the name of the United States. On 3 Feb., 1814, the "Essex" and the " Essex Jr." arrived at Valparaiso. On 8 Feb. the British frig- ate " Pho'be." commanded by Capt. James HilUar. a personal friend of Capt. Porter, and her contort the " Cherub," also arrived and anchored near the " Essex," and, after obtaining supplies, cruised off Valparaiso for six weeks. Porter determined to es- cape, and made sail for the open sea; but a heavy squall disabled the " Essex," which was forced to return to harbor. The enemy, disregarding the neutrality of the harbor, followed, took position under her stern, and opened fire on 28 March, 1814. The " Essex " was of 860 tons, mounting 33 guns, with a crew of 255. while the " Phoebe " was of '.Mill tons, mounting 53 guns, and had a crew of 3'20, and her consort, the "Cherub," which attacked the " Essex " on her starboard bow, carried 28 guns, 18 thirty-two-pound carronades, and 2 long nines on the quarter-deck and forecastle, and a crew of 180. Both ships had picked crews and were sent to the Pacific to destroy the " Essex." Their flags bore the motto " God and country. British sailors' best rights: traitors offend both." In reply (apt. Porter wrote at his mizzen, " God, our country, and liberty ; tyrants offend them." The " Essex Jr." took no part in the action, her armament being too light to be of service. The engagement, which was one of the most desperate and remarkable in naval history, lasted two hours and thirty minutes, and, except 'the few minutes they were repairing damages, the firing was incessant. The "E--e" ran out three long guns at the stern ports, whir-h in half an hour forced her antagonist to retire for repairs. The"Pho3be" was armed with guns of long range, while those of the " Essex " were m< i-t I y carronades. Capt. Hillyar therefore drew off to a distance where he was beyond the fire of the " Es- sex," and then kept his guns steadily at work till the "Essex" became a helpless wreck and surrendered, having suffered a heavy loss of men. Capt. Porter and Lieut. Stephen Decatur MacKnight were the only commissioned officers that remained unhurt. The latter, who was exchanged with others for a I ',iri i if the "Sir Andrew Hammond's" crew, sailed in a Swedish brig, bound for England, and was lost at sea. Porter wrote to the secretary of the navy : " We have been unfortunate, but not disgraced'." From the " Tagus." which arrived a few days after Porter's capture, he learned that other ships were cruising in search of the " Essex." to possess which cost the British government nearly $2,000,000. The " Essex Jr." brought the survivors to the United States. At Sandy Hook they fell in with the British ship-of-war "The Saturn," under Capt. Nash, who at first treated the crew with civility, but afterward examined their passport and de- tained the "Essex Jr.," declaring Capt. Porter a prisoner and no longer under parole to ('apt. Hillyar. Early on the following day Capt. Por- IIT ocaped, leaving a message that "most Brit- ish officers were not only destitute of honor, but regardless of the honor of each other; that he was arined, and prepared to defend himself against his boats, if sent in pursuit of him : and that he must be met, if met at all. by an enemy." With much difficulty he reached Babylon, L. I., and on arriv- ing in New York was received with distinction, and was given the thanks of congress and of several state legislatures. The " K->ex -Ir." was condemned and -"Id on her arrival ill New York. From April, 1815, till December. 1823. ('apt. Porter was a mem- ber of the board of navy commissioners, which post he resigned to com niand the expedition called the Mosquito fleet that was fitted out against pirates in the West Indies. A depot was established at Thomp- son island, near Key West, and a system of cruising was arranged. In October, 1S24, upon evidence that valuable goods had been stored by pirates at Foxardo, Porto Rico, Com. Porter despatched the "Beagle" to investigate the matter; but the com- manding officer, on landing, was arrested and thrown into prison on the charge of being a pirate. ( 'mil. I'orterthen sailed for the island, landed a force of 200 men, and demanded an apology, which was promptly given. The government, deeming that he had exceeded his powers, brought him before a court-martial, and he was sentenced to suspension for six months. Pie resigned his commission on 18 Aug., Is2ii. and entered the service of Mexico as com- mander-in-chief of the naval forces of that country. He remained in this service until 1829, when he re- turned to the United States, having been treated treacherously by the Mexican officials. He was afterward appointed consul-general to the Barbary states, from which post he was transferred to Con- stantinople as charge d'affaires, and was made min- ister resident there in 1831, which office he held un- til his death. He was buried in the grounds of the naval asylum in Philadelphia. It is a singular fact that the two most distinguished officers of the U. S. navy fought their first battles under his command his son, David D., and David G. Farragut iy. v.), the latter of whom he adopted in 1809. Com. Por- ter was the author of " Journal of a Cruise made to the Pacifick Ocean in the U. S. Frigate ' Essex ' in 1812-'13-'14." illustrated with his own drawings (2 vols., Philadelphia, 1815: 2d ed.. New York, ls-j-.'i. and "Constantinople and its Environ-." b an American long resident (2 vols., 1835). See " Trial of Commodore David Porter before a Court-Mar- tial " (Washington. 1825). His life was written by his son (Albany, 1875). His son, William David, b. in New Orleans, La., 10 March, 1K01I ; d. in Xew York city, 1 May, 1864, was educated in Phila- delphia, and appointed to the U. S. navy from Massachusetts as midshipman on 1 Jan., 1823. He- became lieutenant on 31 Dee.. Is:::!, served on the "Franklin," " Brandywine," "Natchez," "Experi- ment," " United States," and " Mississippi," and in 1843 was assigned to the home squadron. II- com- manded the store-ship "Erie" in 1849, and. in 1851, the " Waterwitch." On 13 Sept.. Is.Vi. In as placed on the reserved list, but he was iv-toi-ed to active duty as commander on 14 Sept.. is.v.i. At the beginning of the civil war he w.i- sen ing on the U. S. sloop " St. Mary's," in the Pacific. He was ordered to the Mississippi to assist in fitting out the gun-boat flotilla with which he accompanied Com. Andrew H. Foote up 'JYnne--e.> river, and commanded the "Es-ex." which lie had named for his father's ship, in the' attack on Fort Henry, (i Feb., 1862, during which engagement In.' was scalded and temporarily blinded by steam from a boiler that had been pierced by shot. lie also commanded the "Essex" in the battle of Fort Donelson. 14 Feb., ISd-J. and Ion-lit in the same vessel pa-l I he battcnc- on the M i is-i i ipi to join the fled at Vicksburg. He attacked the Confederate ram