The sun., 1870-12-08
A CIIIPFROM MTHEO OLDBL0CK
DAVID ESSEX PORTER UNDER THE
ADMfRAL'S WING.

The Brilliant Career Of Porter lie De-
vclops tho Most Wonderful Ancillnry
Qualities epeatedIy Kicked Out Of the
Army ind as Omen Restored-Goes Fish-
ing in Jersey with n Bottle Of whiskey
and - Pin Hook.
To ne Efitor OF The sun.
Sra The sketch Of this young man late financial
exploits at Portsmouth, N. H., which recently APP
pearcd in our columns credited TO the Portsmouth
N. II) Morning Chronicle, is hardly complete with
out some account Of his previous career.
In 19G1 David. or as he Is famiilrly called Essex"
made his appearance in some semionicia character
on Tire sloop.otwar powhatan, then in the Gulf
His father, then Lieutenant Commander, now Vice.
Admiral. commanded the vessel and 10 was sup
posed that tho young hopeful had been brought
along to re kept under his fathers eye. Outsiders
believed him to be his fathers secretary, though
Hr ueop was known to be the Captains real CLERK.
Essex was brave. good-nltured and generous to q
fault. Tie was goodlooklng, prepossessing, and
gifted with moro than . gentlomanly assurance
that II, he had the presumption OF the devil. His
fomily evidently did not know what to do with him,
nd being really good for nothing else, he was
thought to be good enough for the army.
Ills father had the inside track at Washington, 80
Gre morning Essex woke up at Key West
Second Lieutenant in the First Regiment U. $. Ar.
ullery. The battery to which he was attached soon
after removed 10 Beaufort. s. G. He was fortunate
in having battery commander whose ideas Of dis
eipliue were notoriously rigid, and who just then
had so little else to do that he could give his updi-
viied attention 10 training mp young Porter Essex,
under his severe instruction, certainly got along
pretty well, az general rule but somehow acquired
about this time an unenyiablo reputation for not
always telling tho truth, Unlucky, the chances Of
too tn ~. No Ia lnat
his mentor After a variety Of adventures, which
principa lly developed tho fact that is good thing
TO have an influential father, E4sex one dny made
his whereabouts known by fighting duel near
New York city with another oflcor, In which one
no matter which-was shot in the neck.
About the close OF the war he reported, after an
absence without leave, for duty at Brownsville,
Texas. Previous TO his arrival he had drawn on
his father from New Orleans, put before the draft
could he returned protested. he drew two more
drafts at Brownsville, which subsequently dis
onored. About the time II became known that his
ather refused 10 meet these fictitious claims Essex
confined in close arrest for another offence. He
remained in his quarters part OF day but the next
morning deserted. Nothing was heard Of him for
months Ills family, anxious for his fate, wrote 10
Texas concerning him, and after many inquiries,
and having been given up for lost, the prodigal
where with another fugitive from Justice, he was
arrested and sent, believe. in irons, to the Com
mandant at Brownsville, and thence to Gen. Wright,
lt Galveston. The General ordered a court MARTIAL
and Essex was tried convicted, and sentenced TO be
casliercd but Ills fathers influence all potent
aud the Secretary Of War disapproved the action OF
the Court, and restored the distinguished Lieutenant
70 duty. AMI he sfterward joined his battery at
Fort Schuyler.
ON the expedition n put down the FIRST Fenian
raid young Essex passed himself of the eondti
citizens as General Porter, IN command OF the uni
ted states troops, deception which, OF course, did
not last long.
without leave. His battery commander was now lis
old mentor Of 1861. and he receved-we fancy at his
own rcpues,-from Gen. Hooker an order to go for
or alive Essex was found somewhere down in New
Jersey, with bottle OF whiskey and pin hook,
fishing. in company with some little boys, in a so
qnestered creek. Whether IL was the whiskey or
tho min hook cannot tell, but certain u IL that
something bad been tho last straw on his commend
er's patience. who now remembered ialsohood OH
eia'lY told az -. Adams, and compelled Essex to
resign 10 avoid court-martial.
A few months afterward, the all-nowcrful Admi-
raj got hin az in restored to tho army, this time
with commission in tile cavglry. Discipline WIS
ilen very lag, owing to the irsqnent remiss9ns
these favorable circumstances, Essex remained but
short time aud was soon again not only under a
cloud but back 10 the paternal mansion IN disgrace
We learn that hii former comrades have informl-
ti0n that bis services have been engaged by the
Khedvo OF Rgypt; but as this had origin In the
statements Of Essex bimsef we believe Egypt will
be spared this plague at least and Essex will doubt
be drawn with nerect looseness, and he safe
~ swell as the Admiral son.
n Is the publicity given 10 such bits Of family his
tory that will tell most fatally against the ncpotism
which IL n In both tile and A @.