Fitz John Porter
| Fitz John Porter | |
|---|---|
Porter in 1862
|
|
| Born |
August 31, 1822 Portsmouth, New Hampshire |
| Died | May 21, 1901 (aged 78) Morristown, New Jersey |
| Buried at | Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York |
| Allegiance |
United States of America Union |
| Service/branch |
United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1845–1863 or 1886 |
| Rank |
 Major general
|
| Commands held | V Corps, Army of the Potomac |
| Battles/wars | |
| Other work | Public works commissioner, police commissioner, and fire commissioner (NYC) |
Fitz John Porter (August 31, 1822 – May 21, 1901) (sometimes written FitzJohn Porter or Fitz-John Porter) was a career United States Army officer and a Union general during the American Civil War. He is most known for his performance at the Second Battle of Bull Run and his subsequent court martial.
Although Porter served well in the early battles of the Civil War, his military career was ruined by the controversial trial, which was called by his political rivals. After the war, he worked for almost 25 years to restore his tarnished reputation and was finally restored to the army's roll.
Porter was born on August 31, 1822 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the son of Captain John Porter and Eliza Chauncy Clark. He came from a family prominent in American naval service; his cousins were William D. Porter, David Dixon Porter, and David G. Farragut. Porter's father was an alcoholic who had been reassigned to land duty. Porter's childhood was chaotic because of his father's illness. The younger Porter pursued an army career. He graduated from the United States Military Academy (West Point) in 1845, standing eighth out of 41 cadets, and was brevetted a second lieutenant in the 4th U.S. Artillery.
Porter was promoted to second lieutenant on June 18, 1846 and First Lieutenant on May 29, 1847. He served in the Mexican-American War and was appointed a brevet captain on September 8, 1847, for bravery at the Battle of Molino del Rey. He was wounded at Chapultepec on September 13, for which he also received a brevet promotion to major. He was an original member of the Aztec Club of 1847, a military society composed of officers who served during the Mexican War.
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