of absence, he returned to that station, which has ever proved, in its liberal inter-
course with the men of other nations, and its undying associations of nature and
art, a most important school in the education of the young naval officers of the
United States. Having passed his examination in 1835, young Porter was at-
tached to the coast survey service from 1836 to 1841, when he was promoted to a
lieutenancy and was ordered to the frigate Congress, in which he sailed for four
years on the Mediterranean and South American stations. In 1845, we find him
attached to the National Observatory at Washington in special service. During
the Mexican war which succeeded, he was in charge of the naval rendezvous at
New Orleans, was subsequently again employed on the coast survey, and from
1849 to 1853 was, by permission of the department, in command of the California
mail steamers Panama and Georgia, running from New York to Aspinwall, a
rising commercial service of national importance, to which his experience and
personal character were of great value. After this he was in various home services,
till 1861, when he was promoted to the rank of commander, and placed in com-
mand of the steam-sloop Powhatan, in which he joined the Gulf Blockading squad-
ron off Pensacola. He had thus, at the outbreak of the Rebellion, been thirty-
two years in the service, over nineteen of which had been spent at sea and nine
on shore duty.

A special service of great importance was presently intrusted to him. When
in the beginning of 1862, an expedition was set on foot to open the Mississippi
River to New Orleans, he was assigned to the command of a tteet of bomb-ves-
sels to co-operate with the squadron of Captain Farragut in that enterprise
service which he carried out with distinguished ability.

After the capture of New Orleans, Commander Porter continued to co-oper-
ate with Captain Farragut on the Mississippi, being engaged in the movement
on Vicksburg in May. In the following October he was placed in command of
the Mississippi squadron, with the rank of acting rear-admiral, and when, in the
ensuing year, operations were actively resumed for the capture of Vicksburg, his
squadron, in concert with the victorious army, of General Grant, was constantly
employed in the most hazardous and honorable service.

It was he who forwarded to the Secretary of the Navy at Washington the
brief and authoritative announcement: "Sir, I have the honor to inform you that
Vicksburg surrendered to the United States forces on July 4th." This was the
first bulletin to the country and to the world of this memorable event. Simul-
taneously with the victory of General Mead over Lee at Gettysburg, it was hailed
as the crowning disaster to the Rebellion. As a reward for his services on the
Mississippi, Porter was promoted to the full rank of rear-admiral.

In December, 1864, he commanded the fleet which bombarded Fort Fisher.
After a terrific assault the fort was captured January 13, 1865, and Wilmington,
the last Confederate port, was closed. Porter received another, his fourth, vote
of thanks from Congress, and in 1866 was made vice-admiral. On Farragut's
death, in 1870, he was immediately appointed to succeed him as admiral, and held
the rank until his death, on February 13, 1891.

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