Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-19
Brevetted for Gallant Conduct.

For his services during the war he was
brevetted six times, once as captain, April
H. 1862 for gallant and meritorious serv-
ices at the siege of Pulaski; again major
May 6, 1864, for gallant and mertorious
services at the battle of the Wilderness;
again as lieutenant colonel, August 16,
1864, for gallant and meritorious services in
action at New Market Heights, Va; again
as colonel of volunteers, February "a, 1860,
for faithful and meritorious services; again
colonel of regulars, for gallant and mer-
itorious services during the rebellion, and
finally as brigadier general, March Ii, 1863,
for gallant and meritorious services in the
field during the rebellion.
After the war, from April, 1865, to March,
1869, he served at the headquarters of Cen
eral Grant, commanding the armies of the
United States in this city, and was acting
private secretary to President Grant from
March 4, 1869, to January, 1873 when he
was granted leave of absence until Deem
Der 81, 1873, on which date he resigned his
commission in the army to accept the posi-
ton of vice president of the Pullman Car
Company.
Since then he has been prominent fig
ure in the commercial and business world.
From 1915 to 1879 he was chairman of the
executive committee of the Metropolitan
Elevated Railroad Company of New York
and from August, 1881, to January, 1854,
he was president of the West Shore Rail
road Company. He was also a director in
a number of financial and manufacturing
institutions. Besides writing many val
liable magazine articles on military and
commercial topics he found time to perform
the duties of president of the St. Louis and
San Francisco Railway Company and as an
officer in other institutions.
In the Diplomatic Service.
He was a patron of the New York Metro
politan Museum of Art and a member of
the New York and Massachusetts Histori-
cal Society. He received the degree of LII.
D. from Union College. Since March 49,
1897 he has served his country with ability
and distinctionnas United States ambas-
sador to France, and took leading part
III the negotiations preceding and following
the war with Spain and the settlement of
the Boxer troubles in-China.
His Work as !Ambassador.
Gen. Porter .long stay in Paris was due
to the important events that have succeed
ed one autobiography since he went there
the negotiations preceding the war with
Spain, the meetings. ipf the peace commits
sion and the Venezuelan arbitration tri-
bunal. the Paris exposition and the nego-
tiations with Chinaus Speaking to New
York Tribune reporter of the United States
part in the China affair he said:
Our government at Washington has had
the satisfaction Of seeing an ample vindica-
ton of the views to which it adhered in
these matters And "in witnessing a decided
triumph of the principles for which it con-
tended At no time has American states
manship been highly respected abroad"
He also said:
France is greatly interested in the object
of the mission which is on its way to at
tend the unwilling of the Rochambeau
statue. Not only the French government,
but the press and the people are looking
forward to the movements of the mission
in America with the keenest interest, and
it is talked about fully as much as the mis-
sions to Spain and England to participate
in the coronations
President Loubet. in his eloquent remarks
addressed to the members of the missions
upon their taking leave of him, expressed
the sentiments of ali France when he said
referring to the two other missions: your
mission yields nothing to these in impor-
lance and ins the interest with which we
shall followit You are going to a country
where energy is a religion. and where
youth is loved l wish you that good well
come which that enthusiastic and mighty
people beyond the ocean has always reserv-
ed for these who have gone to them as
representatives of France