Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 08.djvu/395

 PORTER

PORTER

at a cost of $130,000. In 1883 he retired to his farm at Claverack, N.Y. He received the hon- orary degree D.D. from Rutgers college in 1854, and was president of the first general synod of the church held after the name was changed to Reformed Church of North America. He was editor of the Christian Intelligencer, the organ of the church, 1852-68, and subsequently contributed to other religious periodicals. He is the author of: A History of the Reformed Dutch Church in the United States ; The Pastor's Guide, and hymns. He died at Claverack, N.Y., Feb. 26, 1888. PORTER, Eliphalet, clergyman, was born in North Bridge water, Mass., June 11, 1758 ; son of John and Mary (Huntington) Porter, and grand- son of Samuel Porter. John Porter (1715-1802), Harvard, A.B., 1736, A.M., 1739, was a cele- brated Calvinist clergyman. Eliphalet H. Por- ter was graduated at Harvard, A.B., 1777, A.M., 1780. He was ordained, Oct. 2, 1782 ; was pastor of the Congregational church at Roxbury, Mass., 1782-1830, and had as his assistant, the Rev. George Putnam, 1830-33. He was married in October, 1801, to Martha, daughter of Major Nathaniel Ruggles of Roxbury. He received the degree S.T.D. from Harvard in 1807 ; was a fellow of Harvard, 1818-33 ; a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences ; an original trustee of the Massachusetts Bible society, and a founder of the State Temperance society. He published sermons and a Eulogy on Washington (1800). He died at Roxbury, Mass., Dec. 7, 1833. PORTER, Fitz=John, soldier, was born at Portsmouth, N.H., June 13, 1822; son of Capt. John and Ehza Chauncy (Clarke) Porter, and a nephew of Com. David Porter. He attended the school of Benjamin Hallowell, Alexandria, Va. ; Phillips Exeter acad- emy, and the school of Stephen M. "Weld, Jamaica Plain, Mass., and was graduated from the U.S. Mili- tary academy, and assigned to the 4th artillery, July 1,1845. He served at tlie mil- itary academy and in garrison at Fort Mon- roe, Va., 1845-46; was promoted 2d lieu- tenant, June 18, 1846, and in July, 1846, reported at Point Isabel, Texas, taking part in the battle of Buena Vista. He engaged in the siege of Vera Cruz ; in the battle of Cerro Gordo ; was promoted 1st lieutenant. May 29, 1847, and served at Con- treras, where his company re-captured two of

their guns taken at Buena Vista. He was brevetted captain, for gallant conduct at Molino del Rey, Sept. 8, 1847, and major, for services at Chapultepec, Sept. 13, 1847. He was wounded in the assault and capture of the Belen Gate, Sept. 13, 1847 ; was in gari-ison at Fort Monroe in 1848 ; at Fort Pickens, Fla., 1848-49, and served as assistant instructor in natural and experimental philosophy at the Military academy, 1849-53 ; as assistant instructor in artillery, July -Sept., 1853, and as instructor in artillery and cavalry, 1854-55. He was brevetted captain of staff and assistant adjutant-general, June 27, 1856, and served under Gen. Persifor F. Smitli at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., during the Kansas troubles of 1856. He was married, March 19, 1857, to Harriet Pierson, daughter of John and Hannah (San ford) Cook of New York city. He was on the staff of Gen. A. S. Jolmston in the Utah expedition, 1857-60, and was sent to Texas in 1861 to re-enforce the garrisons at Key West and Dry Tortugas. He commanded the troops engaged in protecting the railroad between Baltimore and Washington, immediately after the riot in Baltimore. He was assigned to the staff of Gen. Robert Patterson, of the Department of Pennsylvania ; was pro- moted colonel, 15th infantry. May 14, 1861, and commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers. May 17, 1861. He took part in the action of Falling Waters, Va., July 2, 1861 ; commanded a division in the defences of Washington, D.C., 1861-62 ; in the Virginia Peninsular campaign, March-May, 1862, and directed the siege of York- town, April 5-May 4, 1862. He commanded the 5th army corps. Army of the Potomac. May- Aug., 18G2, in the battles of New Bridge, Han- over Court-House, Mechanicsville, Gaines's Mill, Turkey Bridge and Malvern Hill ; was brevetted brigadier-general, U.S.A., June 27, 1862, for gal- lant conduct at Chickahominy, Va. ; commis- sioned major-general of volunteers, July 4, 1862 ; transferred to northern Virginia in August, 1862 ; took part in the battle of Manassas under Pope, Aug. 30-Sept. 2, 1862, and protected Washington by occupying the west bank of the Potomac, Sept. 2-13, 1862. He commanded the 5th army corps under McClellan at Antietam, Sept. 17, 1862, where his corps formed the centre of the line of battle, and with his corps alone, fought the battle of Shepherdstown, capturing four guns, Sept. 19, 1862. In November, 1862, he was relieved of his command and ordered to Washington to appear before a military com- mission to answer the charges preferred against him by Gen. John Pope. This order was re- voked and a court-martial ordered. On Nov. 25, 1862. lie was arrested, but it was not until Dec. 1, 1862, that the charges against him were made known. He was accused of disobedience to the