The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1891-02-19
David ID. Porter

was at once sent to the President
and the Secretary of the Navy and
the flags on the White House and on all
other public buildings were placed at
half-mast. Secretary Tracy at once Wis
tied the family and conferred with them
in regard to the funeral arrangements.
1t was settled that the funeral
should be marked with the highest
military honors and that the inter-
ment should be at the Arlington Ma
tional Cemetery. The President was
informed of Admiral Porter's death by
an orderly, and sent feeling message
of sympathy to the family. Ha subse-
quently sent message to Congress
notifying that body of the death.
The funeral will take place Tuesday
at 2 p. m. The Navy Department will
be closed, the flag will be displayed at
half-mast at all navy yards and stations
and on board all ships in commission,
fired at noon from each navy yard. The
department will be draped in black and
all officers of the navy and marine
:orps will wear the badge of mourning
for thirty days.
The honorary pall-bearers will be:
Vice-F resident Morton, General Scho-
field, Senators Henderson, Mcpherson
and Hawley, Representative Boutelle,
Rear Admirals Rogers, Amy, Howells,
Crosby and Stevens, and Governor Pat
tison, of Pennsylvania.
The death of Admiral Porter has
been so long expected that it caused
hoS for
several months been practically dead to
the world. He has not left his room
since he entered it in October, on his
return from his summer home at New
port His death finally came from the
result of combination of causes, not
the least of which was his advanced age.
The AdmiraIs death will result in no
naval changes. Though nominally on
the "active list" he has been in prac-
teal retirement for a great many years.
In fact, he could not be retired except
at his own request and that re-
quest the vanity and ambition which
have ever been the Admiral's strongest
characteristics would never permit him
to make. He long ago determined to
die at the head of the navy in name il
he were not so in fact. By his death
the rank of Admiral ceases to exist.
The ranking officer of the navy now
will be Rear Admiral Kimberly, who
was executive officer of Farragut's
flagship at Mobile bay, and who two
years ago lost his own flagship, the
Trenton, at Samoa.
Admiral Porter leaves several child.
0ro &c io,,+orort =, h
navy, another is Captain in the marine
corps, and David Essex. the eldest
son, was formerly an officer in the
army. There are also one or two
daughters. One of them recently mar
ried Captain Campbell, of the army.
During the war Admiral Porter received
more than 100000 in prize money and
since 1870 he has received S13, 900 year
as Admiral He therefore leaves very
comfortable estate.
David Dixon Porter was born in Chester Del,
June 8, 1913, and after studying in Columbian
college, Washington, accompanied his father
in the John Adams to suppress piracy in the
West Indies. Subsequently he served
in the Mexican navy and in 1921
entered the United States navy as
midshipman. His promotion was rapid until
he became commander. When the civil wa,
broke out he had charge OF the steam frigate
Powhatan, which was dispatched 70 join the
gulf -blockading squadron at Pensacola
Then, IN 1861, he was placed in
command Of the mortar fleet which
assisted Admiral Farragut in bombarding Forts
jackson and St. Philip below New Orleans
He also assisted in the operations at vicks.
burg. though the navy did not take con
spicaous part in the capture OF that city.
In 1852 he acted as rear admiral of the Missis
slppi squadron, and in January of the follow
ing year helped General Sherman to capture
Arkansas Post. In 1854 he had command OF
the fleet that bombarded Fort Fisher, and in
1855 took part in the capture OF the same fort
In the course of the war Porter was four times
voted the thanks of Congress- After the re-
oeli1on he was made Vice Admiral and served
as superintendent of the naval academy until
1852 being then detailed for duty in the NAVY
Department at Washington. He was appointed
Admiral OF the navy in 1870