The New York herald., 1865-01-18
INGTON.


rof1mcub
pscsmbsr IT. lsal H. q Putnam colonel, and lsfs the
s.se on the asth Of the same month The regiment was
mainly engaged in the operations In Florida where Il
.rcinated IN numerous expeditions into the interior
For er,tous conduct succeeded 70 the colonecy Of
his regiment In October, 1854, Colonel Abbott oom
TsnsS coru n the reorganzatioa Of The Army q the
James COLONEL Abbott was assigned 70 The command Of
ar te ssorming q Fort Fisher Colonel Abbsss originally
held position with Paincs divlion thrown across the
lIsns s.s drsMn 70 SUPPORT General Xmss n
anshng up the advantage he had gained within the fort
UActoh OF Rear ADMIRAL d. ID. Porter, tho
N Commader or the Naval Forces.
Admiral David D Porter again comes prominently b.
Usrs the public Tho energy with which he has organized
A immense nest and the logged persistence with which
- has insisted renewing the attack on Fort Fisher
vih add much the splendid reputation which he has
ven
BIRTH AND FAMILY. Ar
Bavid D. Porter is Q native Of Washington city, and
born about the year 1914 though the data ct hand
Aoss not give the precise He Is the youngest
sf the renowned Commodore David Porter who gained
such enviable distinction in tho last with England by
his the Essex, the least glorious Of
which the defence Of his vessel against the attack Of
sAsCherub and Phoebe OF Valparaiso.
HIS YOUTHFUL SERVICE.
While the subject of this sketch was yet youth his
nnther was on duty commander OF expedition
glnsed drive the pirates out Of the West Indian waters
Young Porter accompanied his father during this cruise
Asrs gaining his experience before the mast and i'm
tng love Of the which has always distinguished
Him His adventures during his early career many
snd interesting He formed Of the two hundred
uho landed by his father the Island OF Porto
aco and captured the town Of Foxardo holding until
Che Spanish authorities apoogzed for their conduct in
mprisonng two Of his ofncera It will be remembered
That for this act that tho commodore recalled
ENTERS THE NAVY.
Commodore Porter retired from service In 1895.
Young Porter immediately began prepare himself for
6As navy and After -four years. study anoa& and ashore
10 admitted February 2 1922 the date Of his war
Sant midshipman. He entered the navy from Penn-
Vlvania, Of which State hs was then citizen
HIS EARLY CAREER.
His hrst duty was board the fgate Constell aton
AAirty sx guns stationed In the Mediterranean under
Commodore Bddle and Captain wadsworth. In 1881 tbs
Csnstclaon ordered home, aud laid up In ordinary
- Norfolk, and Porter granted leave Of absence
Alssr this in 1882, he ordered back to the Med
srsnean tho flagship United States, fortyf
gun fdgate under Captain Nicholson Commodore Pater
Son havngcharge Of the squadron On the Sd Of July,
1855 he passed his examination, and recommended
~ early promotion During the years 1880 70 1S4l he
was appointed tho Coast Survey and exploring expe
dtons On the 9th Of February, 1s4l, he was commits
stoned eutcnant and ordered u the frgae Congress-
forty -four gun vesselof-war. He then rejoned the
1editeranean squadron and after short time this YES
~ was ordered on the Brazilian station. He still 10
1aned his position the craft, and was her
four years. his being recorded rs one OF her
yssss jan. January iss and aGi s
A. latter end or 1S45 he attached 70 the Observa-
IN Sa held !. The snd darns poioa OF
1s46 His advancement during this long period Of peaDe
vas slow his position a. this dae being No 22s on the
hss Of leutenants 0e4
SERVICE DURING TN war WITH xHzsco.
The with Mexico gave him an opportunity TO 70
Same active duty again, and he gladly welcomed the
sans Gulf Of Mexico squadron. This was known the
sAosquts Meet" and did great deal Of valuable ser
joinsd the rebels and who was some time ago court
aaled and sheived for the destruction Of the roncad
On .s .so m na.n ss
Mexican war; Lieutenant Porter s recorded being In
Shsge Of the rendezvous at New Orleans from which he
detached TO again join the Coast Survey, which
service his recorded January 1915 During
hs year appointed the command Of schooner
fetrel, engaged on this survey.
THE CAMEL EXPEDITION.
Al the close Of the war he was sent by the government
% Egypt In command Of the famous expedition which
brorght over the camels from that country u
0oNMANDER OF PACIFIC MAIL CoAPANY's
BY permission Of the Secretary OF the Navy Lieutenant
Porter was allowed 70 take the command Of the te.msr
American mail steamers first established for service on
She Pacific The pioneer passage of the Panama was at
tended with many interesting incidents On coming out |
Of the Straits Magellan the ter
rnc from The eastward and with the greatest diff
1culty weathered Cape Pillar tho extreme promontory
of Terra del Fuego AT eight O'Clock the evening the
ship took her departure from the Cape and at eight
O'Clock morning IT in plain sight, although the
vessel had been running under full press Of all
night The wind shifting few ponts the ship made
clear ohng The storm set IN with renewed violence ine
aweek Throughout this entire period Captain Porter al
bowed himself scarcely any rest Now on tho wheehouse
now at the helm, and again In the engine room, he L
seemed to be ubiquitous For days the ship was In
Imminent peril but he carried her safely into the harbor
OK Valparaiso with only the loss Of her bowsprit During
histemporary absence shore while in this port the
1rcmcn broke inso the spirit room, and after getting
cutie drunk made Nanton attack on some OF the steer
sge passengcrs The Capain was speedily informed OF |
6e row. and coming on board S ,nsred summary
ehastscmen the refractory snbocts Te ordered the
hoaiswain (snce harbor master Of this r. 20 can up
Che rioters on deck He placed them in line and had
thcir hands tied to the bulwars Ind then Commanded
she boatswain TO give them dozen ashes with tho
cato'-n tails The men ore venqeance but before
She ship reached Calao the fonnd him The best friend
thay had on board oD coming out of the harbor Of VAL
,n' an, ran within sight OF the site Of that
s.ns In our history where his chival.
sous father .rter a series of successes unparalleled
sne ~ -als Of naval warfare, with the Essex, had
80 sv.umb TO the Cherub and Phoebe, which
vessels violated all laws Of international neutrality
How Little did the gallant hero imagine then that hs
namcFake would over stoer a steamer through the
waters in which he had surrendered his noble craft
20 British treachery On arriving In the Bay OF Panama
Captain Porter refused 70 comply with the agents de-
and Of him 70 compel his passengers TO ashore, and
put up such quarters they could lnd long the
vessel remained in port The Captain sad his boys had
endured many nconyenicrces already and that they
might rcmain board long he Id himself
After setting the ship TO rights the command
fcrred b. Captain BSylcy who brought her up 70 San
kraoclsco the former having boon ordered 10 New York.
% take charge OF the then steamship Georgia Be.
forc parting the passengcrs grateful for the assduous
aftsntIons pad them, collected q handsome sum
81 money which was invested In the purchase
Of a splendid silver trumpet subsequently presented
10 him their behalf Among the many gal.
liant exploits Of Commodore Porter that OF
running the steamer Crescent City into the har-
Dor Of Havana, during the excitement between the
swo countries relative 70 the ship Black Warrior,
bhe Spanish government having refused 10 permit
any United States vessel to enter that port Running
under the shottcd guns OF Moro Castle he ordered
% halt but he promptly replied that he carried tho United
States lag and the United States mails aud by the Eter
nal would 60 and he did the Habaneros fearing 70
49, He that ha