The North-Carolina standard., 1843-05-10
rEIE LATE COMMODORE PORTER.

THE LATE COMMODORE PORTER
From the New York Express
This gallant officer, one of the bright lumna-
rcs that lend to the page OF American history
Iustre that reflects at once their countrys glory
nI their own. was born in Boston. He was the
son of "North Ender," and sprang from that
L.rd, stock whence emanated the "Liberty Boys"
,bn Tea PARTY" the "Nlinute Men" of the ear
lest revolutionary times ''The Sailors Home
j. the name of tavern which now stands on the
~not near Hancocks Wharf where the future
Commodore first drew breath.
The name of Porter first appears conspicuous
X in the history of the American Navy, IN the
wear 1909, when mldshiPman on board the
.Fvnprimcnt" under the gallant Stewart, he sig
vailed himself in the memorable action with the
French frioate l. Insurgente. His station In that
.nr,rement was in the foretop, and such was his
,7i1ct that the lack of influential friends alone
j s7J to have prevented his preferment. This,
however. was not long IN coming. Merit like
his could not be dsregarded in that infant day OF
or gallant Navy. Upon Commodore Barrons $
conino into the command of the Constellation,
Porter was made lieutenant and was appointed 10
the :Eyperiment' under Captain Nlaley, on the
West India station. On this station he signalIzed
himself bv many exploits of cool bravery and
oaIIantrv. Receiving from Captain Talbot the
command of the "Amphitrite," prize schooner,
with five guns and fifteen men, he captured
French privateer heavily manned and armed, with
much loss to the enemy, and not any whatever to
himself This gave him name and station IN
the NAVY which he has never lost, but which IN
t5c ranii nroorcss of advancement, identified him
with the most gallant spirits in that service.
At the period Of the declaration of war, against
Great Britain. in 1912, VIC find Porter captain,
in command of the Essex frigate 50 guns. Al
ter the glorious capture of the :'Guerriere" by
Old IronsiIcs,'' Capt. Banbridgc Captain Hull
desiring TO be relieved from that command) was
appointed to the latter and a squadron was placed
unIer his command, consisting Of the Essex,
Porter. AMI the sHornet" Lawrence. This was
in Saptembcr 1912 Bainbridge issued orders
for the cruise, prescribing to Porter certain
course at the end Of which, not meeting With the
squadron at a specified point he was to act at dis
crc.ion Thus directed, Porter sailed from the
Delaware On the 27th of October 1872 and com
mcnccd one of the most glorious cruises recorded
in our Navy's chronicles.
Under the letter of his instructions, he proceed
Cd from the Delaware to the Brazil coast, captur-
inc bv the way an English packet, which yield
cl large amount in prize money. The vessel
was sent to the United States. He then secured
the coast TO the In Plata and thence for the PacI-
fc arriving at lparaiso, after long succession
Of bad weather, on the 18th of March, lol3.-i
Thence he went to the Gillian and PERUVIAN
coas.s and encountered Peruvian corsaIr winch
tventy-four Americans, the crews OF two whaling
vessels taken on the Coast of Chilli Porter
threw the pirates guns and ammunition over
board. and freed the prisoners. He also recover
ed one of the ships taken by the pirate, as she was
going into Lima He then pursued his meteor
like course in the Pacific, doing immense injury
to the British commerce in that ocean, capturing
many valuable cargocs sending some OF the prlzes
70 the United States and fitting out others as con-
l.. |,
strs at his masthead he carried his little squad
ron into action, and became perfect scourge to-
the enemy in those seas, by the rapid and daring
devastation committed upon their commerce there
y single frigate," says recent writer, twas
Jrling it over the Pacific, rowing about the ocean
in saucy defiance Of thousand English ships
revelng in the spoils of boundless wealth, and
almost banishing the British flag from those re,
gions where it had so long waved proudly and
predominant"
In vain were vessels after vessels sent forth IN
pursuit of him. His manner of cruizing sbaffied
all their attempts No trace of his Whereabouts
did he leave as now shooting into the open sea,
and now lurking among the island, keeping clear
othe coast he kept all research Of the foe at bay,
and went on all the time with his brilliant eX-
ploits. He took possession of an island IN the
Pacific called it Madisons (after the then Pfesl'
dcnt) fought with the natives, reduced them, re-
paired his ship, and having quite rehtted and re-
stored her, sailed for the Chilian coast in Decem-
Der, 1913 Thencehe went to Valparaiso, and
there fell in with the British Commodore Hill
yar with two ships As he went into the har-
bour one of these vessels fell foul of the ESsey,
and was at the mercy of Porter The port was
neutral one and he did not avail himself Oft this
advantage He was as magnanimous as brave,
and this conduct earned him the warm ncanow-
Judgements of the British commander. While in
port the most social and friendly relations sabzist
ed between them and their crews.
The English Commodore put out ofport, keep
ing his ships together, to avoid separate action,
and regularly blockading Porter at Valparaiso
In vain did the latter try to get fight out OF
either of his foes singly. Hillyar kept them snug,
determined to give his enemy no advantage. At