The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-08-27
OUR NEXT GOVERNOR.
A Brief Sketch of Hon. Jas. d.
Porter.

AS Judge Porter is now the figure-head
of Tennessee Democracy, our readers
will be glad to read a brief sketch of
his life, to see what kind of stuff is in
him. Though a man of marked ability,
Judge Porter has lived somewhat re-
tired and modest life, never thrusting
himself forward, and coming to the
front in public life only in obedience to
the demands of the people around him,
who saw and recognized his worth and
ability. We therefore subioin from the
U. s. A. brief, but interesting sketch
of his iifeg
James Davis Porter is now foFty-fve
years of age; he was born in Paris,
Henry county, Tennessee, where he has
ever since resided. His father DIR. Thos.
K. Porter, was an eminent physician,
one of the earliest settlers in Henry
county, and was prominent citizen un-
til his death. His mother was Miss
Geraldine Horton, sister of the late JO-
seph w. Horton, of Nashville.
James d. Porter graduated at the
Nashville University in 1916, and was
always noted as a good scholar, and
prompt and punctual in his classes, and
a leader in the debating society. Though
hard student he was a genial, jOvial
schOOl-fellow, and an active participation
in all boyish sports.
He studied law under James T. Dun
lap at Paris, and then graduated in the
law school at Lebanon. Locating at
Paris, he married the daughter of Mr..
John Dunlap, of that place, and began
the practice of his profession. He soon
gained high standing at the bar by the
practice of those sterling virtues, indus
try and attention to business; and,
though he possessed a strong will and
great perseverance and determination,
| yet his mild manners and his being, I'M
der all circumstances, a gentleman 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 pop
ular practice, he was called out for the
Legislature in 1859, and was elected to
| the House from the counties of Henry,
Carroll, Gibson and Madison, and he
! served his constituents with great salts
! faction to them, and was the author OF
the celebrated "Porter Resolutions y
which were Immediately adopted by
! Kentucky and other Southern States
These were passed by Tennessee when
only three States had seeded.
! When Tennessee decided to cast her
| lot with the other Southern States, Mr..
! Porter at once volunteered, and was as
! signed soon after as Assistant Adjutant
| General to Gen. Frank Cheatham's COM
mand as chief of staff, and he was with
Gen. Cheatham in the battles of Belmont
and Shiloh. At COrinth he was prostra-
ted by the disease which proved fatal to
so many COntederates, and left the army
for a brief period on sick leave. He
I Cd Il fu Init
at his post with Gen. Cheatham's COM
mand until the end of the war, perform
ing all his duties and sharing in all the
dangers which his hard-fighting COM
mander encountered. When the army
had surrendered at BentOnville, North
! Carolina, and had gone to Salisbury to
draw their last rations, a South Carolina
Major at the head of a mob of six or
seven hundred soldiers marched up to
sack the cOmmisSary stOrehOuse. Gen.
! Cheatham 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 ensued to the Western troops had
! the stores been robbed. Gen. Cheatham,
/ in his emphatic way, having thrOttled
and thumped the Major who had led the
mob.
Col. Porter had the unlimited conf
dence of his superior and fellOw-Officers
and discharged the arluous duties OF
Assistant Adjutant General for four
/ years with the greatest ability and
| promptness, and received the highest
commentators from General Cheatham
as courteous and chivalrous gentleman,
an able and trusty officer, as a gallant
! soldier in the field, and a sagacious
counsellor in camp.
Col. Porter had three brothers in the
Confederate service one was killed, and
his brother, Capt. ThOs. r. Porter, an of
ticer in the old United States navy,
greatly distinguished himself. Upon
the breaking out of the war he was on
the Pacific, but resigned and made a
hair-breadth escape into the Confeder-
acy, where he was at once assigned to
the Mike Burns Battery, which he rem
dered famous in the battles at Fort Dom
elsOn, at which place he was desperately
wounded and brought to Nashville.
Capt. Porter recovered and soon had
charge of another fighting battery,
when he was a second time severely
wounded, and upon his recovery was
assigned to the Confederate cruiser
Florida, as first lieutenant and executive
officer under Capt Maffit, and he was
captured on board of the Florida when
she was out of the port of Bahia, Brazil.
Col. Porter on his way home from
North Carolina after the surrender with
his side arms and parole, was arrested
near Knoxville and carried to that point
where he was robbed, diSarmed, and was.
by Gen. Stoneman's order, thrown into
prison in violation of the terms of the
surrender. Upon his release from pris-
on, Col. Porter returned home and re-
sumed the practice of law with great
success, and in 1870 he was elected, with
out opposition, TO the constitutional
convention where his methOdical BUSH
ness habits, his sound judgment and le-
gal and legislative experience caused
him TO make his mark and enabled him
TO render valuable service in the formR-
ton OF the new constitution.
The next year after the convention,
by the wish of the bar, Col. Porter wss
elected by an overwhelming majority, as