Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1843-05-13
COMMODORE PORTER, U. s. N.

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tire that reflects at once their country's glory
and their own, was born in Boston. He was
the son ofa 'North.Ender,' and sprang from that
hardy stock whence emanated the Liberty
Boys the Tea rarty,' the Minute Men of
the earliest revolutionary times. The Sailors
Home is the name Of "a tavern, which now
. stands on the spot, near Ilancock's Wharf,
where the future Commodore set ...s, drew breath.
The name Of Porter first appears conspicu-
ously in the history of the American Navy, in
the year 1900, when, a midshipman on board
the Experiment. under the gallant Stewart,
he sgnalized himself in the memorable action
with the French frigate L'Insurgente. His
! station in that engagement was in the foretop,
and such was his conduct that the lack of in.
fluenta friends alone is said to have prevented
his preferment. This, however, was not long
in coming. Merit like his could not be disre-
garded in that infant day of our gallant Navy.
Upon our Commodore Baron's coming into the
command of the Constellation Porter was
made lieutenant, and was appointed to the
Experiment under Captain Maley, on the
West India station. On this station he sig
nalized himself by many exploits of cool bravery
and gallantry. Receiving from Captain Tai.
bot 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 a station in the Navy, which he has
never lost, but which, in the rapid progress of
advancement, identified him with the most gal.
lant spirits in that service.
Al the period of the declaration Of war a.
gainst Great Britain, in 1912. we find Porter
captain, in command of the Essex frigate, 80
guns. After the glorious capture of the 'Guer-
riere, by 'Old Ironsdes,' Captain Banbridge
Captain Hull desiring to be relieved from that
command) was appointed to the latter, and
squadron was placed under his command, con-
sstng of the Essex Porter, and the Hornet
Lawrence This was in September 1912.
Bainbridge issued orders for the cruise, pre-.
scribing to Porter a certain course, at the end
of which, not meeting with the squadron at
specified point, he was to act at discretion
Thus directed, Porter sailed from the Della
ware on the 9th of October, 1912, and COM
menced one of the most glorious cruises re-
corded in our Nays chronicles.
Under the letter of his instructions, he pro-
ceeded from the Delaware TO the Brazil coast,
capturing by the way an English packet, which
yielded a large amount in prize money. The
vessel was sent to the United States He then
secured the coast to the La Plata, and thence
for the Pacific, arriving at Valparaiso, after n
long succession of bad weather. on the lith of
March, 1873. Thence he went to the Chilian
and Peruvian coasts, encountered Peruvian
| corsar, which he took, and among whose prison.
ers he found twenty-four Americans, the crews
aftwo whaling vessels taken on the coast of
! Chill. Porter threw the pirates guns and
ammunition overheard, and freed the prisoners
He also recovered one Of the ships taken by the
pirate. us she was going into Lima.
/ He then pursued his meteor-ike course in
the Pacific, doing immense injury to the British
commerce in that ocean, capturing many valu-
able cargoes, sending some Of his prizes to The
United States and fitting out others as consorts
in his gallant cruise. With the Stripes and
Stars at his mast head he carried his little
squadron into action, aid became perfect
scourge TO the enemy in those seas, by the rapid
and daring devastation committed upon their
commerce there. a single frigate,' says a
recent writer, was lording it over the Pacific,
rowing about the ocean in saucy defiance ofa
thousand English ships, reyeIlmg in the spols
Of boundless wealth, and almost banishing the
British flag from those regions, where it had
SO long waved proudly predominant
! In vain were vessels after vessels sent forth
| in pursuit of him. His manner of cruising baf-
fled all their attempts. Notraces of his where
abouts did he leave, as, now shooting into the
open sea, and now lurking among the islands,
keeping clear of the coast, he kept all research
of the foe at bay and went on all the time with
his brilliant exploits. lie took possession ofan
island in the Pacific, called it Nadis"n's, (after
the then President) fought with the natives,
reduced them, repaired his ship, and having
quite refined and restored her, sailed for the
Chilian coast, in December, 1913. Thence
he went to Valparaiso, and there fell in with
the British Commodore Hillyar, with two ships.
As he went into the harbor, one ofthese ves-
sells fell fou. of the Essex and was at the mer-