Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 07.djvu/381

LEFT PORTER 316 PORTER from having been originally the favorite drink of London porters. In forging ( 1 ) A long bar of iron attached in continua- tion of the axis of a heavy forging, whereby it is guided beneath the ham- mer or into the furnace, being suspended by chains from a crane above. A cross lever fixed to the porter is the means of rotating the forging beneath the ham- mer. (2) A smaller bar from whose end an article is forged, as a knife blade, for instance. PORTER, DAVID, an American naval officer; born in Boston, Mass., Feb. 1, 1780, son of a naval officer. He was ap- pointed midshipman in 1798, lieutenant the year after; saw service in the West Indies, and against Tripoli in 1801-1803; became captain in 1812, and captured the first British warship taken in the war. In 1813, with the ''Essex" (32 guns), he nearly destroyed the English whale fishery in the Pacific, and took possession of the Marquesas Islands. March, 1814, his frigate was destroyed by the British in Valparaiso harbor. He afterward commanded an expedition against pirates in the West Indian waters, and was court-martialed for com- pelling the authorities at Porto Rico to apologize for imprisoning one of his officers. Porter resigned in 1826, and be- came head of the Mexican navy. In 1829 the United States appointed him consul-general to the Barbary States, and then minister at Constantinople, where he died, March 3, 1843. PORTER, DAVID DIXON, an Amer- ican naval officer; born in Chester, Pa., June 8, 1813; son of Commodore David Porter. He entered the navy as mid- shipman in 1829, was employed in 1836 to 1841 in the survey of the coast of the United States; in 1841 appointed as lieu- tenant to the frigate "Congress." In 1845 was transferred to the National Observatory at Washington, and during the Mexican War to the naval rendez- vous at New Orleans; again to the coast survey, and from 1849 to 1853 engaged in command of the California mail steamers. At the commencement of the Civil War he was appointed commander of the steam sloop-of-war, "Powhatan"; distinguishing himself in the capture of New Orleans, and commanded the gun- boat and mortar flotilla which co-oper- ated with the squadron of Admiral Far- ragut in the first attack on Vicksburg. In the fall of 1862 he was placed in command of all the naval forces on the W. rivers above New Orleans, with the rank of rear-admiral. After the war he was appointed superintendent of the United States Naval Academy, Annapo- lis. He was made vice-admiral in 1866, and in 1870 became admiral. He died in Washington, D. C, Feb. 13, 1891. PORTER, FITZ-JOHN, an American military officer; born in Portsmouth, N. H., June 13, 1822; was graduated at the United States Military Academy in 1845; served in the Mexican War, and made brevet captain and major for gallantry at Molino del Rey and Chapultepec. In 1861 was appointed colonel of the 15th U. S. Infantry, displaying great gal- lantry at Cold Harbor, Malvern Hill, Antietam, and Mechanicsville. For an alleged disobedience at the second battle of Bull Run, Aug. 29, 1862, Porter was court-martialed, and on Jan. 21, 1863, was cashiered. In 1878 a trial was granted, and the court recommended that the former sentence be reversed, and that he be restored to his former rank in the army, but no decisive action was taken. In 1882 President Arthur remitted so much of the penalty as prohibited him from holding office. New evidence came to light, General Grant affirming that Porter had been unjustly treated, and a bill was introduced in Congress provid- ing for his reinstatement. In 1886 the bill passed both Houses, and became a law by the signature of the President. He died in Morristown, N. J., May 21, 1901. PORTER, HORACE, an American dip- lomatist; born in Huntingdon. Pa., April 15, 1837, son of David R. Porter, who became governor of the State. After a year in the scientific department of Har- vard University he entered the United States Military Academy. His gradua- tion took place in 1860. After a brief space as instructor in artillery at West Point, he was assigned to duty in the Department of the East. He was pro- moted to be 1st lieutenant while under Sherman and Dupont in the expedition against Port Royal. In 1863 he was brevetted captain for gallant services at the capture of Fort Pulaski, where he had command of the siege batteries. In May, 1864, he was brevetted major for his conduct in the battle of the Wilder- ness. The next year found him brevet lieutenant-colonel, and 1865 bi'evet Brigadier-General of the United States army. He had been chief of ordnance of the army of the Potomac under Gen- eral McClellan, but after the battle of Antietam was transferred first to the army of the Ohio and then to the army of the Cumberland. While on the staff of General Thomas at Chattanooga he became acquainted with (Jeneral Grant. Their intimacy lasted till Grant's death. General Porter became an aide-de-camp on Grant's staff, and was with him dur- ing most of the rest of the war. When General Grant became Secretary