Porter Family
A Register of Its Papers in the Naval Historical Foundation
Collection in the Library of Congress
Prepared by Ruth S. Nicholson Revised by Michael
Spangler
Manuscript Division,
Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
2005
Contact information:
http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/mss/address.html
Finding aid encoded by Library of Congress Manuscript Division,
2007
Finding aid URL: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/eadmss.ms007026
Title: Porter Family Papers
Span Dates: 1811-1881 ID No.: MSS53041 Creator:
Porter
family Extent: 100
items;
2 containers;
.6 linear feet
Language: Collection material in
English
Repository:
Manuscript Division, Library of
Congress,
Washington, D.C. Abstract: Naval officers and
authors. Papers of David Porter (1780-1843) and his son, David Dixon Porter
(1813-1891) relating to their naval careers and families.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this
collection in the Library's online catalog. They are grouped by name of person
or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed
alphabetically therein.
Names: Goff,
Nathan, 1843-1920--Correspondence Hambleton,
Samuel, 1777-1851--Correspondence Hunt,
William H. (William Henry), 1823-1883--Correspondence McCorkle,
James P.--Correspondence Porter,
Evelina Anderson, 1790-1871--Correspondence Porter,
George Ann Patterson--Correspondence Seward,
William Henry, 1801-1872--Correspondence Thompson,
Richard W. (Richard Wigginton), 1809-1900--Correspondence Walker,
George W.--Correspondence Porter
family Mexico.
Armada Essex
(Frigate) Porter, David, 1780-1843.
Papers of David Porter (1811-1841) Porter, David D. (David
Dixon), 1813-1891. Papers of David D. Porter (1861-1881)
Subjects: Minorca (Spain)--Social
life and customs New Orleans
(La.)--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
Occupations: Authors Naval
officers
Provenance:The Porter Family Papers were deposited in the Library of Congress by
the Naval Historical Foundation in 1949. The deposit was converted to a gift by
the foundation in 1998.
Processing History:The Porter Family Papers were arranged and described in 1974. The
finding aid was revised in 2005.
Copyright Status:The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of the Porter
family is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17,
U.S.C.).
Preferred Citation:Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the
following information: Container number, Porter Family Papers, Naval Historical
Foundation Collection, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington,
D.C.
David Porter
Date |
Event |
1780, Feb. 1 |
Born, Boston, Mass. |
1798 |
Appointed midshipman, United States Navy Duty on Constellation
(frigate)
|
1799 |
Duty on Experiment (schooner),
West India Squadron
|
1801 |
Duty on Enterprize (schooner),
Tripolitan War
|
1803 |
Duty on Philadelphia (frigate),
Tripolitan War
|
1803-1805 |
Prisoner of war, Tripoli |
1808 |
Married Evelina Anderson |
1808-1810 |
Commandant, New Orleans Naval Station |
1811-1814 |
Commanded Essex
(frigate)
|
1815 |
Published
Journal of a Cruise Made to the Pacific Ocean.
Philadelphia: Bradford & Inskeep
|
1815-1823 |
Commissioner, Navy Board |
1823-1825 |
Commander in chief, West India Squadron |
1825 |
Published
An Exposition of the Facts and Circumstances Which
Justified the Expedition to Foxardo. Washington: Printed by Davis &
Force
|
1826 |
Resigned from United States Navy |
1826-1829 |
Commander in chief, Mexican Navy |
1830 |
Appointed United States consul general, Algiers |
1831 |
Appointed United States chargé d’affaires, Turkey |
1835 |
Published
Constantinople and Its Environs. New York: Harper.
2 vols.
|
1839 |
Appointed United States Minister, Turkey |
1843, Mar. 3 |
Died, Pera, Constantinople |
David Dixon Porter
Date |
Event |
1813, June 8 |
Born, Chester, Pa. |
1827 |
Appointed midshipman, Mexican Navy |
1829 |
Appointed midshipman, United States Navy Duty on Constellation
(frigate), Mediterranean Station
|
1839 |
Married George Ann Patterson |
1842 |
Duty on Congress
(frigate)
|
1847 |
Duty on Spitfire (side-wheel
gunboat)
|
1849 |
Commanded Panama (steamer)
|
1850-1853 |
Commanded Georgia (steamer)
|
1855 |
Commanded Supply (ship)
|
1857 |
Duty at the Portsmouth Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Va. |
1861 |
Commanded Powhatan (side-wheel
steamer)
|
1863 |
Commander, Mississippi Squadron Promoted to rear admiral
|
1864 |
Commander, North Atlantic Blockading Squadron |
1865-1869 |
Superintendent, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis,
Md.
|
1866 |
Promoted to vice admiral |
1866-1867 |
Diplomatic mission to Santo Domingo |
1875 |
Published
Memoir of Commodore David Porter. Albany, N.Y.: J.
Munsell
|
1877-1891 |
Chairman, Naval Board of Inspection |
1885 |
Published
The Adventures of Harry Marline. New York: D.
Appleton Published
Allan Dare and Robert le Diable. New York: D.
Appleton. 2 vols. Published
Incidents and Anecdotes of the Civil War. New
York: D. Appleton
|
1886 |
Published
The Naval History of the Civil War. New York:
Sherman Publishing Co.
|
1889 |
Published
Arthur Merton. New York: D. Appleton
|
1891, Feb. 13 |
Died, Washington, D.C. |
The papers of the Porter family document the careers of naval
officers David Porter (1780-1843) and his son, David Dixon Porter (1813-1891).
The collection spans the years 1811-1881 and consists primarily of
correspondence and letterbooks. The material is organized as the papers of each
man and arranged alphabetically thereunder by type of material or name of
person.
Letters from David Porter to his friend Samuel Hambleton in 1811-1812
describe his command of the frigate Essex charged with protecting Atlantic
coast merchantmen. In a letter dated October 19, 1812, Porter related to
Hambleton that “In two or three days I sail on a long, a very long cruize
[sic], our destinations and intended movements I am not at liberty to divulge,
perhaps a more important cruize was never undertaken by the vessels of any
nation and I have the vanity to believe that my plans for the ‘first campaign’
produced it.” Soon thereafter in early 1813, Porter took the Essex around Cape
Horn to safeguard American whalers and in so doing commanded the first United
States naval vessel to sail into the Pacific Ocean. Letters to his wife Evelina
Anderson Porter relate details of his service as commander in chief of the
Mexican Navy in 1826-1829 and of domestic affairs while living in Port Mahón on
the Mediterranean island of Minorca in1830. Other recipients of letters in the
file include James P. McCorkle and George W. Walker. Also included is a draft
of Porter’s resignation as commander in chief of the Mexican Navy and his will
dictated in San Stefano, Turkey.
Official letterbooks of David Dixon Porter from the periods 1867-1869
and 1878-1881 comprise the bulk of the collection and contain copies of letters
to three secretaries of the navy, Richard W. Thompson, Nathan Goff, and William
H. Hunt. A letter from Porter while in New Orleans in 1862 to his wife George
Ann Porter recounted the bitterness of their southern relatives under Union
occupation of that city. Other items include printed naval general orders and
circulars.
This collection is organized as the papers of each
man and arranged alphabetically thereunder by type of material or name of
person.
Container |
Contents |
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BOX 1
|
Porter, David |
|
BOX 1
|
Correspondence |
|
BOX 1
|
Hambleton, Samuel,
1811-1814
|
|
BOX 1
|
McCorkle, James P.,
1830
|
|
BOX 1
|
Porter, Evelina Anderson,
1826-1830
|
|
BOX 1
|
Walker, George W.,
ca. 1823
|
|
BOX 1
|
Draft of resignation from Mexican
navy,
ca. 1829
|
|
BOX 1
|
Will,
1841
|
|
BOX 1
|
Porter, David Dixon |
|
BOX 1
|
Correspondence,
1861-1862
|
|
BOX 1
|
General orders and circulars,
North Atlantic Squadron and European Fleet,
1864-1873
|
|
BOX 1
|
Letterbooks |
|
BOX 1
|
1867-1869
|
|
BOX 2
|
1878-1881
|
|
(2
vols.)
|
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