Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 08.djvu/396

 PORTER

PORTER

order to join Pope at Bristoe on the morning of Aug. 28. 1862; to two other orders issued on Aug. 29. one to advance, the other to attack, and of violation of the 52d article of war. The court-uiartial found him guilt.v of the charges preferred against him and he was cashiered. Jan. 21. 18r»3. and '• forever disqualified from hoMing any office of trust or profit under the govern- ment of the United States." On June 20, 1878, a a board of officers convened by order of President Hayes, completely viiidicated him of all the charges. In their report they say "Porter's faitliful, subordinate and intelligentconductthat afternoon (August 29) saved the Union army from the defeat which would otherwise have resulted that day from the enemy's more speedy concen- tration." The question of the restoration of his military rank on the finding of the military com- mission wa3 brouglit before congress, where it was fought on purely party lines. In 1885 it passed both houses, but was vetoed by President Artlmr, who held that congress was without con- stitutional authority to pass such a bill. Porter went to Colorado in the interest of a mining firm in 1804. but a bill was introduced in the legisla- ture, expelling liiin from the territory. He re- turned to New York and engaged in business; was superintendent of the construction of the New Jersey insane asylum, 1872-75; commis- sioner of public works in the city of New York, 187.7-77, filling an unexpired term; assistant re- ceiver of the Central Railroad of New Jersey, 1877-82; police commissioner of New York city, 1884-88; fire commissioner, 1888-89, and cashier of the New York post office, 1893-97. In 18G9 tiie Khedive of Egypt offered him the command of his army with the rank of major-general, which offer he declined, preferring to remain in the United States to secure his vindication. An act of congress was approved by Cleveland in July, 1886, by which Porter was reappointed colonel, U.S.A., his commission to date May 14, 1861. He died in Morristown, N.J., May 21, 1901.

PORTER, George Bryan, third territorial governor of Michigan, wjis b<>rn at Norristown, Pa., Feb. 9. 1791; son of General Andrew Porter (q.v.). lie practised law at Lancaster, Pa., was attorney-general of the state; a representative in the state legislature, and on Aug. 6, 1831, he w.is api>ointed by President Andrew Jackson governor of the territory of Michigan, serving until his death. H.; took the fiel.l in the Black Hawk war, 1832-33, and during his administra- tion Wisconsin was separated from Michigan and made a territorj', many new townships were organized and new roads constructed. The terri- tory also appealed to congress for admission into the Union, but this was postponed until Nov. 3, 18.3.5. He died in Detroit, Mich., July 6, 1834.

PORTER, Horace, soldier and diplomatist, was born in Huntingdon, Pa., April 15, 1837; son of Gov. David Rittenhouse (q.v.) and Jose- phine (McDerniett) Porter, and grandson of Gen. Anihew Porter. He attended the Harrisburg academy and pre- pared for college at Lawrenceville, N.J. He entered the scien- tific department of Harvard university in 1854; was appointed a cadet at the U.S. Military academy in 1855, and was gradu- ated third in a class of forty-two mem- bers, brevet 2d lieu- tenant of ordnance, July 1, 1860. He was instructor in artillery at the academy. July- October, 1860; and was assistant ordnance officer at "Watervliet arsenal, N.Y., 1860-61. He was promoted 2d lieutenant, April 22, 1861. and 1st lieutenant, June 7, 1861, and joined the expedition under Sherman and Dupont as assistant ordnance officer of the Port Royal expedition corps, 1861-62. He was stationed at Hilton Head Depot, South Carolina, and engaged in erecting batteries of heavj^ artillery on the Savannah river and at Tybee Island, Ga., for the bombardment of Fort Pulaski. He was chief of ordnance and artillery at the reduc- tion and capture of the fort, April 10-11. 1862, and was bre vetted captain April 11, 1862, for gallant and meritorious conduct at the siege of Pulaski, and presented with a captured sword bearing a suitable inscription. He prepared the heavy artillery and ordnance stores for the James Island expedition, April 13-June 1, 1862; was wounded in the attack on Secession ville, S.C, June 16, 1862; was chief of ordnance of the Army of the Potomac under General McClellan, and superintended the transfer of the artillery from Harrison's Landing, Va., to Maryland, July 2.5-Sept. 19, 1862. He was chief of ordnance, Department of the Ohio, September, 1862-Janu- ary, 1863, and of the Department and Army of the Cumberland, January-November, 1863. He was married Dec. 23, 1863, to Sophie King, daughter of John McHarg of Albany, N.Y. He was promoted captain March 3, 1863, and served in the Tennessee campaign with the Army of the Cumberland, June 24-Nov. 1, 1863, receiving a congressional medal of honor for a special act of gallantry at the battle of Chickamauga. Sept. 20. 1863. He was detailed on special duty in the ordnance bureau, Washington, D.C., November,