Brief guide to manuscripts collections| William L. Clements Library The University of Michigan David and David D. Porter Papers |
David Porter was the second generation in a family of outstanding naval officers. Born in Boston, he first went to sea with his father, a Revolutionary War privateer captain. He entered the navy in 1798, served in the Tripolitan War, and in 1808 took command of the New Orleans naval station. During the War of 1812 Porter sailed around Cape Horn, entered the Pacific, and took an impressive number of British prizes. After the war he served on the Navy Board until given command of the West India squadron in 1823. He was court martialed in 1825 for his preemptory treatment of Puerto Rican officials; he resigned the following year, accepting a commission as commander in chief of the Mexican navy. After three years Porter returned to the United States. In 1830 he became consul general in Algiers, and a year later he was appointed minister to turkey, the position he held until his death.
David Dixon Porter (1813-1891) also began his naval career sailing with his father in the West Indies. He was commissioned midshipman, first in the Mexican navy, joining the United States Navy in 1829. During the Mexican War he served in the Gulf, the South Atlantic, and the Mediterranean. Porter gave distinguished service in the Civil War, first at Vicksburg, and later with the North Atlantic squadron. In 1866 he was promoted vice admiral and given superintendancy of the Naval Academy. Grant appointed him special advisor to the Navy Department, where Porter instituted a number of administrative reforms. He succeeded Farragut as admiral in 1870, serving on the board of Inspection until his death.
Papers of David Porter and David Dixon Porter, American naval officers.
This collection contains approximately 250 items relating to David Porter, 1805-1840; most of them deal with his War of 1812 service and his West Indian duty, although there are some related to the Mexican navy and his diplomatic career. There are 125 items concerning the career of David D. Porter, 1847-1889, including 15 Civil War letters and 25 letters dealing with his controversy with General Benjamin Butler in 1889. Two autobiographical manuscripts, 'My Career in the Navy Department' and portions of a journal describing his Civil War experiences, are included, as well as a number of literary manuscripts -- fragments of novels, essays, speeches, and biographical notes.
Gift of the Louise T. Miller estate and Mr. and Mrs. Carroll Van Ness, 1964 and 1974
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