Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-02-19

III IL o CLOCK tuesday night his condition
was about the same as it had been for
several weeks past, and there were no
indications that medical services would
be needed before the time for the doc
tors regular visit in the morning, about
O'clock The nature of the Admiral's
disease made it extremely dangerous
for him to lie on his back, so that he
was accustomed to rest sitting upon a
large sofa with his back and head
supported by pillows Nourishment
was administered every hour and the
Admiral was awake at 6:45 o'clock
and took his nourishment as usual.
He afterwards fell into a light
sleep and gave no Indication whatever
that the end was so near at hand. At 8
o'clock the Admira1's son Richard, who
slept by his side, noticed that there was
q change in his fathers condition. He
was breathing with difficulty and
seemed to be choking. The nurse
felt his pulse and found it to
be huttering feebly. The house.
hold was at once aroused and DR..
Wales sent. The patients pulse grew
fainter and fainter and at S:15 o'clock
ceased to beat. At that hour he gasped
convulsively and expired without a
word. He sat bolt upright with his son
Richard holding one hand and his
daughter, Mrs. L. c. Logan, holding the
other. There were also at his bedside
his son, Lieutenant Theodore Porter,
U. S. N, and his son-in-law, Lieutenant
L. C. Logan, U. S. N, his nurse, James
Mcdonald, and his faithful man SER
want, William Wilkes.
His other son, Captain C. P. Porter,
U. S. NJ. c., and Major D. E. Porter,
formerly of the army, and his youngest
daughter, Mrs. Charles Campbell, ar
rived soon after and joined the sorrow
ing group which had gathered in the
cham Der of the afflicted widow.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
David Dixon Porter was born in Chester.
Pa, in 1913, and at the age of IL accompanied
his father, David Porter. naval officer, to
the West Indies. where piracy prevailed In
1927 he was appointed midshipman in the
Mexican navy, and in 1929 became an
American MILDLY" serving first in the
Mediterranean. He subsequently served
on the coast survey, and in 1S4l was APP
pointed Lieutenant. He transferred
to the naval observatory in Washington in
Is and in 1916 was intrusted with secret
mission to Hayti. He was actively engaged
in the Mexican war, first as Lieutenant,
afterwards commander of the Spitfire.
At the beginning of the civil war he took
command of the Powhattan and in April,
1861, in charge of the mortar fleet of
twenty one schoOners and five steamers that
joined Farraguts fleet in 1862. He took
part in the bombarding OF Fort Jackson
and Fort st. Philip below New Orleans
and they surrendered to him in 1862. He as
sisted FarragUt in all the operations between
Nicksburg and New Orleans While the Con-
federates at Vicksburg were making efforts
to repair the Indianola, which they had capt
ured, Commander Porter fitted an old scow
to look like one of his turtle gunboatS, with
two canoes for quarter boats, a smokeStack
of pork barrels and mud furnace in which a
fire built This craft called the
Turreted Monster and was set adrift with no
one on board. A tremendous cannonade
from the ConfederateS failed to stop her and
the authorities at Wick burg hastily de-
stroyed the IndianOla, while the supposed
monitor drfted for an hour before the enemy
discovered the trick.
In 1882 Porter Rear Admiral, took
charge of the Mississippi squadron, impro-
viSed the Mound City navy yard, increased
his squadron to 12o vessels and co operated
with Sherman in the capture of Arkansas
Post in 1854. Congress thanked him for his
services at Vicksburg and he was commits.
stoned Rear Admiral in July, 1863. The same
year he ran the batteries at VickSburg, capt.
ured the Confederate forts at Grand Gulf and
later assisted in the capture of Vicksburg.
He remained in the Mississippi until 1861,
and in October of that year was transferred
to the North Atlantic squadron and in 1855
captured the forts at the mouth of the Cape
Fear river, including Fort Fisher. For this
he was again thanked by Congress.
He was promoted to Vice-Admiral in 1855
and served as superintendent of the Naval
Academy until 1863, when he was detailed for
duty in the Navy Department at Washing
the navy.
Deceased came from long line of navy Of
fcers, five generations of ancestors having
preceded him in the service.