The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-02-19

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choking. His pulse was futtering feebly. and
the house was at once aroused aud DIR. Wales
sent for. The Admirals pulse grew fainter
and al SID o'clock ceased to beat, aud he gasped
convulsiyely aud expired without a word
His sons, Richard and Lieut. Theodore Por-
! ter, U. S. Marine Corps; his daughter. Mrs
j. g. Logan; his sOn-in-law, Lieut.. 7. G. Lo
gan, Y. S. Navy; his nurse, James Mcdonald.
and his servant, William Wilkes, were present
&C the dcathbcd His other sons, Capt. c. r.
Porter, U. S. Marine Corps, and Maj. u. Z. Por-
| ter, formerly Of the Army, and his youngest
| daughter, Mrs. Charles Campbell arrived soon
after his death. Mrs Porter, the Admiral's
wife, was too i'll TO be present.
Upon receipt Of the news, the flags were
] halfmasted on all the public buildings in
! Washington, and the President sent message
10 Congress notifying both Houses OF the Ad-
mirals death. The Secretary OF the Navy also
| Issued general order announcing the death
and eulogizng the Admiral.
SKETCH OF HIS LIFE
Admiral Porter was born in Chester Pa June
9, 1913. His father was Commodore Porter. who
gained distinction as commander or the Essex
IA the war Of 1872 The Admiral early took %
the sea- and accompanied his father 10 the West
]
rates. He was commissioned MidshiPman Feb.
2, 1929, and after service with the MeditcrTean
Squadron the war with Mexico gave him an
opportunity 90 resume active service aud he
was assigned 10 the famous " Mosquito Fleet"
Of Commodore TAtnall, in the Cult OF Mexico,
which performed some important services. He
was present at the two attacks on Vera Cruz at
the assaults on Tnspan aud Tobaseo. and par.
ticipated in land eight at Tamnltcc and in
another az Chiffon. Toward the close Of 1877
be was placed in charge Of the Naval Render
vOus at New Orleans from which he was de-
taeIed in l5lS. lie was then sent by the Gov
eminent 20 Egypt in command of the famous
! expedition which brought over the camels from
1 that country. ia 1913, 40, he was again at
| tached 10 the Coast Survey, being appointed 10
! the command OF the schooner Petrol in 1913.
AT the breaking out Of the rebellion Lieut..
/ Porters name was then the sixth on the list
| OF Lieuteuants, but the resignation OF several
/ Southern officers opened the way for promo
| ton, and he was commissioned as Commander
/ on April %, 1851. He sailed from New York
/ IA that month in command Of the sloop- Of war
Powhatan, in the expedition 10 reinforce Fort
| Sumter.
| The first notable service Commander Porter
| rendered was when he was ordered North %
take charge Of the fotilla OF mortar boats which
was being fitted 20 cooperate with Flag Officer
| Earragnt in al attack on New Orleans. A great
/
/ outfit and departure Of this feet aud when
! farrsgut arrived in the Southwest Pass Porter's
| vessels were at their appointed stations ready
! for the attack. On the 18th Of April, 1862, he
/ began the b0mbSrdment OF Forts Jack son and
81. Philip which, with the ironclad feet, con-
stituted the defense Of the city Of New Orleans
| For six days and six nights the fleet kent up n
continuous and steady FIRE, when the powerful
forts were so weakened that il was thought
possible Tor the vessels TO pass These forts
commanded by LieutC Col. Higgins. and the
/ coast defenses, under Gen. Duncan, surrendered
10 Porter on the 2Sth Of the month.
On May T. 1862 Immediately after the fall Of
| New Orleans, Commodore Porter moved his
| hOtilla of Mobile Bay, with orders 10 more
effectnally blockade Mobile Harbor On the
morning Of May 10, having discovered that the
enemy were leaving Pensacola, be Immediately
entered the harbor and took possession Of the
ruins Of the Navy yard, Fort McRae, and the
Naval Hospital.
| ON THE MISSISSIPPI
Then camo the Western campaign, and on
! Oct. 2, 1892, having been appointed Acting
| Rcar-Admiral, Porter repaired 10 the Missis-
! sippi River and assumed supreme command of
! all the naval forces on that stream. The squad.
ron then under his command was one Of his
own creation. IL embraced l2j vessels. which
bad been originally merely river steamboats,.
but which were transformed into passable war
vessels by means Of plating, aud by their aTma-
mcnt and equipment. In this feet there were
| Loo officers Of whom not more than % be-
lOnged 10 the Regular Navy. The rest were
mostly Western steamboat men, with no knowl-
| edge whatever Of naval tactics aud discipline
But by dint Of hard work these all became in
a short time trustworthy aud capable
His hrst exploit with his new command
was in the bombardment Of Arkansas Post.
| which place was captured Jan. . 1863 by the
/ he had s4fF,.a li,sgl .Tl
garrison, making IL much easier for the army
| % storm the fort.
ln the ensuing April after running the bat
ferries at Nicksbarg, the feet attern pied the
reduction Of Grand Gulf one Of the strongest
Qualifications on the Mississippi River. The
first attack was only partially successful. and
the fleet drew of after a bombardment Of five
hours. This neecssitated the crossing of
Grants army below Grand Gulf, which was
| successfully accomplished, and when the army
moved toward the rear Of the place, the rebels
retreated precipitately, and Admiral Porter
took possession Of the work on May B. There
were ID heavy guns captured, and a large
amount Of ammunition.
In the Spring Of 1863 Porter appeared with
his fleet 10 aid Gen. Grant in the subiugation
| Of NicksburR. During the siege of this place
Porter's ncet shclled the city and the works
Tor 40 successive days. Heavy guns also were
landed from the feet aud manned bv men from
|
the mortar-boats, and the gunJoats combined.
threw about 10000 shells into the city and
works previous 10 the surrender.
As reward for his services on Western
waters, Porter was promoted 10 the full rank
Of Rear Admiral, his commission being dated
back TO the capture Of Vioksburg, aud his an
pointment was confirmed by the Senate on the
80 Of February lS04.
The Rcd River expedition Of 1864, 60 support
Gen. Banks's command, came very nearly re-
sulting disastrously, owing to the low stage Of
water IN the river Porter reached Alexandria
without opposition and occupied that place.
When Gen. Banks's troops arrived, the town
was turned over 10 him, and Porter proceeded
against Fort dc Russy, and began the lombard
mGnt and destruction Of that work The en-