PORTER, Fitz-John, American soldier, cousin of David Dixon Porter: b. Portsmouth, N. H., 13 June 1822; d. Morristown, N. J. 21 May 1901. He was graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1845, was assigned to the 4th artillery, served in the war with Mexico, and was brevetted successively captain for services at Molino del Rey and major for similar services at Chapultepec. After the war he was on garrison duty until 1849, and then was made assistant instructor of artillery at West Point, where in 1854-55 he was instructor of artillery and cavalry. Appointed assistant adjutant-general in 1856, he served under Gen. A. S. Johnston (q.v.) in the Utah expedition of 1857-60. In 1860 he was made assistant in spector-general, with headquarters at New York; and in this post, during the Baltimore riots, he superintended the defense of the rail way between Harrisburg and Baltimore. He became colonel of the 15th infantry, a newly organized regiment, on 14 May 1861, and on 17 May brigadier-general of volunteers. After having been for a time on duty in Washington, he participated in the Peninsular Campaign (1862) in Virginia, and after the capture of Yorktown, in the siege of which he had fought (5 April-4 May), was for a brief while its governor. He was then made commander of the Fifth corps, which he led at Mechanicsville (26 June 1862) and Gaines' Mills (27 June). He was in command of the left flank, the centre of the conflict, at Malvern Hill (1 July 1862) ; and for his conduct at the battle of Chicka hominy was brevetted brigadier-general, United States army. On 4 July 1862 he was made major-general of volunteers. While he was temporarily attached to Pope's Army of Vir ginia, the battle of Manassas or the second Bull Run occurred (29-30 Aug. 1862). On the first day his corps was ordered to advance, but found itself unable to do so; on the afternoon of the second day, however, it was in action, and by its stubborn bravery saved the defeat from being a complete rout. Pope was greatly de jected by the reverse, which he attributed largely to Porter's failure to execute orders. He made a complaint in his report but preferred no charges. Porter was in the defenses of Washington 2-13 September, then commanded the Fifth corps, Army of the Potomac, Sep tember-November, fought at Antietam (17 September), and afterward in the skirmish at Shepardstown (19 September). On 27 Nov.
1862 he was arraigned before a court-martial at Washington, charged with disobeying orders at the second Bull Run. On 21 Jan. 1863 he was cashiered, and, for violation of the 9th and 25th articles of war, was ((forever disqualified from holding any office of trust or profit under the government of the United States" This sentence for years remained unaltered. Its jus tice was much debated. Numerous appeals were made for a reopening of the case, and Por ter himself several times petitioned for a reversal of the judgment. Grant, while Presi dent, declined to reopen the case; but after his second term, upon an examination of all the testimony, published in an article entitled 'An Undeserved Stigma' (December 1882) his con clusions to the effect that Porter was by the evidence vindicated of the charges against him. Under President Hayes a military board ac quitted Porter of all fault save unwise criticism of his superior. On 4 May 1882 President Arthur remitted the sentence so far as disability to hold office under government was concerned but a bill for Porter s relief failed to pass. A subsequent bill passed the 48th Congress, but was vetoed by Arthur on a technicality. A third bill, however, passed, and was signed by Presi dent Cleveland; and by the act of Congress of 1 July 1886 Porter was made colonel of infantry 5 Aug. 1886 to rank from 14 May 1861. On 7 Aug. 1886 he was placed on the retired list. Subsequent to 1863, Porter was superintendent of certain mining operations in Colorado in 1864-65; a merchant in New York 1865-71; su perintendent of the erection of the New Jersey State asylum for the insane at Morristown; commissioner of public works, New York, 1875-76; assistant receiver of the Central Rail road of New Jersey, 1877-82; police commis sioner, New York, 1884-88; fire commissioner, 1888-89; and cashier of the post-office, 1893-97. An offer, received in 1869, from the Khedive, to command the Egyptian forces with major-gen eral's rank, was declined by Porter. Among the best statements of the case for and against Porter may be respectively mentioned, besides the article by Grant above cited (Vol. 135, North American Review), Lord, 'A Sum mary of the Case' (1883), and Cox, 'The 2d Battle of Bull Run as Connected with the Fitz John Porter Case' (1882). See also POPE,