The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1874-08-27
OUR NEXT GOVERNOR.
A Brief Sketch Of James ID.
Porter, Jr.

When the Democratic Convention
which sat at Baltimore in 1911, sent
forth to the country the name OF Jas.
X. Polk, of Tennessee, as their netnl'
nee for President, the ~skoffers asked,
"Who is James X. Polk ~ and the
American people shortly responded in
the mufilcd thunder Of the ballot box.
that James X. Polk was President oil
the United States. Although the name
of James ID. Porter has been well
sounded by the Democracy of Tonnes
see, and his character well weighed by
the ablest convention that has met for
many years in Tennessee, yet we still
hear some ask, "Who is James ID.
Porter /" While it is certain that the
people Of Tennessee will answer the
question in November that he is Gov
ernor of Tennessee, in the meantime a
brief sketch may not be amiss to show
who he is and what he has been
James Davis Porter is now forty five
years ofage; he was born in Paris, Henry
county. Tennessee, where he has ever
since resided. His father DR.. Thomas h.
Porter, was an eminent physician, one of
the earliest settlers in Henry county, and
was IL prominent citizen until his death.
His mother was Miss Geraldine Horton,
sister of the late Joseph W. Horton, Of
Nashville.
James d. Porter graduated at the Nash
vile University in 1916, and was always
noted as Il ! good scholar, and prompt and
%punctual in his classes, and Il leader in the
debating society. Though a hard student
he was II genial, jovial school-lellow, and
an active participator in all b0yish sports.
He stuGicd law unGcr James i. Dunlap
at Paris, and then graduated in the law
school at Lebanon. Locating at Paris, he
married the daughter OF Mr.. John Dunlap,
ofthat place, and began the practice oflliS
profession. He soon gained "A high stand
ing at the bar by the practice OF those stcr-
ling virtues, industry and attention to
business; and, though he possessed strong
will and great perseverance and dctermi-
nation, yet his mild manners and his
being, under all circumstances, Il gentle
man in the highest sense of the term. he
won friends OF all the bar, and usually
won his cases.
In the midst of a successful and popular
practice, he was called out for the LegiSla-
lllTf III lNjJ, anu was tIfNItt w lllN ii'N7N
from the counties Of Henry, Carroll, Glib
son and Madison, and he served his con
%stitucnts with great satisfaction to them,
and was the author oil thccelebrat"d "Por-
ter RESOLUTIONS " which were Immediate
| y adopted by Kentucky and other South
crn States. These were passed by Ten
nesScc when only three States had seeded.
When Tennessee decided to cast her lot
with the oLlicr SouLfiuIn DtatoO, M Porter
ut once volunteered, and was assigned
soon after rs Assistant Adiutant General
to Gen. Frank Cheatham'S command rs
chief Of STAFF, and he was with Gen Cheat
ham in the battles Of Belmont and Shiloh +.
At Coz ihth he was Frustrated by the dis
eases which proved fatal to so many Con-
fcderatcS, and left the army for II brief pc
riod on sick leave. He soon resumed his
duties, and was ever at his post with Gen.
Cheatham's command ntil the end of the
war, performing ali his duties ami sharing
IN all the dangers which his hard-iighting
commander encountered. When the army
had surrendered ut Bcntonyillc, North
Carolina, and had gone to Salisbury to
draw their last r%ations, a South Carolina
Major, at the head of Il mob of six or seven
hundred soldiers, marched up to sack the
commissary storehousc. Gen. Cheatllam
perceived the movement, and calling Col.
Porter to his aid, they two, unaided,
rushed in front Of the mob, and by their
determined stand saved the supplies,
drove back the marauders, and prevented
the suffering which would have cnsucd to
the Western troops had the stores been
robbed, Gen. Chcatlam, i'm his emphatic
way, having throttlcd and thumpcd the
Major who had led tho mob.
Col. Porter had the unlimited confidence
eT his gnnprinr and TnllnIp nft,npc nal az,
charged the arduous duties of Assistant
Adintant General for four years with the
greatest ability and promptness, and re-
ceived the highest concentrations from
Gen. Chcatham rs a courteous and chiyal-
rouS gentleman, an able and truSty officer,
a gallant soldier in the field, and q SARA
ciOns counsellor in camp.
Col. Porter had three brothers i'm the
Confederate service; one was killed, an
his brother, Capt Thos. Il. Potter. an Of
iicer in the old United states navy, greatly
distinguished himself. Upon the break
ing out Of the war he was upon the Pacific
but resigned and made Il halr-breadth es-
cape into the CoGtedcracy, where he was
at once assigned to the Mike Burns Bat
terry. which he rendered famous in the bat
Ties at Fort Donelson, at which place he
was Desperate Ely wounded and brought to
Nashville. Capt. Porter recovered and
soon had charge of another fighting bat
terry, when he was a second time severely
wounded, and upon his recovery was as
signed to the Confederate cruiser Florida,
Us first lieutenant and executive officer
under Capt. Maillt. and he was captured
on board OF the Florida when she was cut
out Of the port Of Bahia, Brazil.
Col. P0rteron his way home from North
after the surrender with his side