The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1886-07-15

General Porter was born In Ports.
mouth, N. H., in 1923, graduated at West
Point in 1856, and served at Fortress
Monroe until the opening of the MeXi-
can War, He was engaged in the seige
OF Verra Cruz. in many of the battles
and in the assault upon the city of Mex
leo In 1849 he became instructor Of
artillery and c.valry at West Point.
From 1857 to 1860 he served as assist
ant Adjutant-G9Deral Of the Utah ex.
pedi.!On.
At the commencement of the civil war
he acted as Chief of Staff in the De.
psrtment of Pennsylvania and In the
Valley of the Shenandoah. He was
made Colonel in the regular army In
May 1861, and placed In command Of a
division In the defences of Wash
ingtoH. At the opening Of the psnin.
sular campaign he commanded his di.
seige Of Yorktown. In May, 1862, he was
assigned to the command Of the 9th corps
Army of the Potomac. He commanded
May q, and at Cold HarbOr, June q, and
was made Major General of the volun.
teers. At the battle of Malvern Hill,
July l, he was In virtual G. ctmmand, post
ing all the corps as they came upon the
field. He commanded his corps during
PUpe's campaign In northern Vir-
glnia. At the second battle Of Bull
Run, his corps failed to appear on
the goth Of August rs directed by Gen.
eral Pope, but In the afternoon Of
the Both was more actively engaged
than any other. nearly quarter of its
members being killed or wounded. To
their obstinate resistance 1t was mainly
due that the defeat was not total rOut.
He was present at the battle of Antie-
tam, February 18th In command Of the
reserves. Pope was greatly displeased
with his conduct at Bull Run and In
November preferred charges against
him. The result Of the court martial
was that he be cashiered
and forever Unqualified from
holding any Office of trust or
profit under the government of the
United States" After leaving the army
he engaged In business In New York and
was subsequently superintendent of the
construction of the New Jersey Asylum
for the insane. In February, 1875, he
was appointed q Commissioner of Pub
lie Works, and now hold the position
of Commissioner Of Police of New York
City.
Few of those living at the present
time know anything of the war record
of General Porter except what they hive
obtained from books and newspaper
articles. General Porter had shown
himself In every position he had been
placed In, to be brave, intelligent and
patriotic soldier up to the time of the
second battle of Bull Run. Of his con-
duct at that time opinion was divided;
8thOse believing him innocent Of the
charges, being as emphatic in their
opinions as those who believed him
guilty. He has never ceased trying,
from the day sentence was passed on
him, to have that verdict reversed. Lit
tie by little he has succeeded In his
attempts, obtaining new evidence and
re'Opening of the case, by means Of
which many of those who we're former
| ly most positive of his guilt have become
convinced Of his honesty. Among those
were General Grant and many other
prominent off 3er5 of the army. During
| President Arthur's administration, q
bill for his reinstatement was passed,
but vetoed by the President. Congress
has again passed the bill.
General Porter has shown his pertin-
actty, with which he has pushed his
claim to successful issue, which has
no doubt helped him to establish his in
nOcence In the minds of all except those
whose predjudices are so strong that
they cannot be overcome by anything
short Of annihlatiOn.