Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1843-05-04
COMMODORE PORTER, .. s. N.

Iluminaries that lend to the page Of Amer
can History lustre that reflects at ono
their country's glory and their own, wa
born in Boston. He was the son Of
"Norih- Ender." and sprang from tn
hardy stock whence ,manated The .Lib
erty Boys" the Tea Party" the "Min
ute Men," of the earliest revolutonar,
times. 1.-The Sailors Home" is nam,
of tavern, which now stands on til
spo., near tIancock's Wharf where tn,
future Commodore FIST drew breath.
The name OF Porter first appears con
spicuoDsly in the history of the Amercar
Navy, 10 the year 1900, when a mdshIp
man on board the Experiment" unde
the gallant Stewart, he signaliz' himsel
in the memorable action with the FIenct
fIigate L'lnsurgente. His station in ,ba
engagement was in the foretop, and such
was his conduct that the lack Of infuen-
ial friends alone is said to have prevent.
ed bis preferment. This, however, was
not long in coming. MerI, like his could
not be disregarded in that infant day Of
orr gallant Navy. Upon Commodore
Barron's coming into the command of the
"Constellalion, Porter was made leuten-
ant, end was appointed 10 the expert
nenr," under Captain Maley, on the West
India station. On this station he signnli-
zcd himself by his many exploits of cool
bravery and galantry. Receiving from
Captain Ia bot the command OF the "Am.
phi,rite," prize schooner, with five guns
and fifteen men, he captured French
privateer cavity manned and armed, with
much loss TO the enemy, and not any
whatever to himself. This gave him a
name and station in the Navy, which he
has never lost, but which in the rapid pro.
gress 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, We find
Porter captain, in command Of the "Es-
sex" frigats, 80 guns. After the glorious
capture of the "Guerriere," BY cod Iron
sides," Capt. cambridge captain Hull
desiring to be relieved from that CON-
mand, WAS appointed to the latter, and a
squadron was placed under his command,
CONSISTING of the Essex" Porter, and the
"Hotnet," Lawrence: THIS was in Sep
TENDER, 1872. Banbrjdge issued orders
for the cruise, prescribing 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 Delaware
on the 9th of October, 1912. and com.
menced one of the most glorious cruise,
recorded in our Nays chronicles.
Under the letter of his instructions, he
proce eded from the d, laware TO the b ALL
coast, capturing by the way an English
packet, which yielded large amount in
prize money. The vessel was sen; to the
United States. He then secured the
coast to the La Plata, and thence for the
Pacific, arriving at Valparaiso, after q
long succession Of bad weather, on the
l4tt of May, 1913. Thence he went &c
the Chilian and Peruvian coasts, and en-
countsr>d Peruvian coisair, which he
took, and among whose prisoners he
found twenty -four Americans, the crews
Of two whaling vessels taken on the coast
of Chill. Porter threw the pirates gun,
and ammunition overheard. and freed the
prisoners. He also recovered one of the
ships taken by the pirate, as she was GO
ing INFO Lima.
He then pursued his meteor like course
IN the Pacific, ding immense injury to
the British commerce in this ocean, cap
turing many valuable cargoes, sending
some of the prizes to the United States,
and fitting out others as consorts to his
gallant cruise. With the stripes and stars
at his mast head, he carried his little
squadron into action, and became per.
feet scourge to the enemy in those seas,
by the rapid and daring devastation com.
miued upon their commerce there. "a
single frgate," says a recent writer, "was
lord,ng II over the Pacific, rowing about
the ocean in snucy defiance Of thousand
English ships, revellng in The spols Of
boundless wealth, and almost ssnishng
the British flag from those regions, where
it had SO long waved proudly Predomi-
nant."
In vain were vessels after vessels SEM
forth in pursuit of him His manner Of
cruising balIled all their attempts. Nc
ira es of his Whereabouts did he leave, as
now shooting into the open sea, and now
lurking among the islands, keeping cleat
of the const, he kept all research OF the foe
at tay, and went on all the time with his
brilliant exploits. He took possession Of an
island in the Pacific. called it Msdlson's
latter the then President fought with the
natives, reduced them, repaired his ship
and having quite reftled and restored her
sailed for the Chiian coest, in December
1913. Thence he went to Valparaiso
and there fell ia with the British Commo-
dore Hiilyar, with two ships. As he
wen, into the harbor, one of these vesssl'
fell foul Of the essex" and was at tbs
mercy Of Porter. The port was neutra
one, and he did not avail himself Of thi'
advantage. He was as magnanimous al
brave, and this conduc. earned him tn,
warm acknowledgment of the British
commander. While in port, the mos, so
cial aud friendly relations subsisted he
tw en- them and their crews.
The English Commodore put ont o
port, keeping his ships together. to avoic
separate action. and regularly blocka,
ding Porter at Valparaiso. In vain die
the latter try 20 get fight out of either o
his foes sinply. Hillyar kent them snug