Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-02-19

david DfxonPorter was the son of Commo-
dore David Porter, L. s. y. He was born in
Philadelphia in June. 1913, entered the navy
as midshipman in 1929, and became Lieu
tenant in 1871. In the first eighteen years or
his service he is accredited with ten years
sea service in the Mediterranean, and the re-
mainder of the time with duty in the coast
survey and at the naval observatory. he
served in the Mexican war, ana theh re-
turned to the coast survey. On the discoV-
ery of gold in California he obtained leave
from the Navy Department, and for three
years commanded mail steamer between
New York and the Isthmus of Panama. lie
afterward returned to the navy, and on the
breaking out of the civil war in 1861 was or
dered to supersedc post Captain IN com
uand of the steam frigate Powhatan, which
was dispatched to aid in the re endorsements
of Fort Pickens. For the expedition against
New Orleans in 1862 Commander Porter or
ganized and commanded mortar hotilla;
and in 1868 he was appointed acting Rear
Admiral and assigned to command the Mis-
siSSippi squadron, comprising in all 10 YES
sells with more than !. 300 officers. For his
services in reducing Vicksburg, he received
a commission Rear Admiral, dated July
!, 1868. In the spring of 1854 he o-operated
with General Banks in the unsuccessful Red
River expedition. In October he was trans
rerred from the Mississippi to the North At
lantic blockading squadron, and directed to
attack the defenses of Wilmington lie APP
peared before Fort Fisher on December "a,
with thirty five regular cruisers, i've IRON
clads, and reserve of nineteen vessels.
The bombardment continued through the
next day, and was resumed on January ID,
1865 by an augmented naval force, and kept
up until the evening of the 18th, when the
firing was stopped and the works were car
ried by a combined body of soldiers, sailors
and marines. Rear Admiral Porter was pro-
NOTED to Vice admiral July Is, 1865 and be-
came superintendent of the Naval Academy
at Annapolis; and on tho death of Farragut
he succeeded him as Admiral, his commits
sion dating from August 10, 1870
Official Announcement of the Death of the
Highest Officer in the Navy.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-the follow
ing order was issued by Secretary Tracy
yesterday afternoon:
NAVY DEPARTMENT, Feb. Ii, 1891.
The Secretary of the Navy has the painful
duty of announcing to the Navy of the coun-
try the death OF the highest officer in the
service.
David Dixon Porter, Admiral of the navy,
died at Washington at a quarter past eight
O'Clock this morning, in the seventy eighth
year of his age. Sixty years of Admiral
Porters life was actively devoted to the
service of his country. The record of his
deeds forms one of the brightest pages of it's
history. His achievements while in COM
mand of the mortar tiotilla at the attack on
the New Orleans forts; of the Mississippi
squadron at the fall of Vicksburg, and of the
North Atlantic squadron at the capture or
Fort Fisher, have given him a place among
the foremost of the worlds naval command
ers. He dies lamcnted by the whole coun-
try and his memory will forever be cher
ished and held in honor by the service.
On the day of the funeral the Navy De-
partment will be closed, the flag will be dis
played at half-mast at all navy-yards and
stations, and on board all ships in commis-
sion, and seventeen minute guns viii be
fired at noon from each navy yard The
Navy Department will be draped, and all Of
ficers of the navy and Marine Corps VIII
wear the badge of mourning for thirty days