Fitz John Porter

Fitz John Porter

Fitz John Porter was born on August 31, 1822, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He was the son of a navy captain and a cousin of Admiral David Dixon Porter. After attending Exeter College, he was appointed to West Point in 1841, where he graduated in 1845, ranking eighth in his class. Porter distinguished himself in the Mexican War, receiving wounds and two brevet promotions. He later returned to West Point as an assistant instructor, working under future Confederate General Albery Sidney Johnston. When the Civil War began, he became colonel of the 15th U.S. Infantry and was soon promoted to brigadier general of volunteers. In 1862, during the Peninsular Campaign, Porter led a corps in the Seven Days Battles and was promoted to major general for his performance. However, at the Second Battle of Bull Run, he was accused by General John Pope of disobedience and was court-martialed, resulting in his dismissal from the Army in January 1863. After briefly serving with McClellan at Antietam, Porter faced a lengthy court-martial that relied on defective evidence. For 23 years, he sought to clear his name. In 1886, after a year-long investigation, he was reinstated in the Army and retired as a colonel without back pay. Throughout these years, he worked as a mining superintendent, a merchant, and a New York City Commissioner of police and fire departments. Fitz John Porter died on May 21, 1901, in Morristown, New Jersey, and was buried in Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn.