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as ordnance officer. During this assignment, he became interested in the development of an explosive shell suitable for naval use. After leaving
Washington, Porter spent the next decade superintending the outfitting of new steam ships for the Navy, commanding supply vessels, and delivering mail and
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engaged three
Confederate gunboats and forced them to retreat to the protection of Southern shore batteries. The two Union gunboats repeated the feat three days later and succeeded in damaging their opponents. Only Confederate shore batteries prevented the capture of the three steamers.
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took a 32-pound shot through her bow shield. It pierced her boilers, releasing steam which severely scalded 28 men. Commander Porter—himself blinded and scalded—continued to conn his ship until she was clear of the action.
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once more. He found his quarry on a bend in the river, close to the shore. In the ensuing bombardment, Porter used an incendiary shell which he himself had invented. After about 20 minutes of shelling,
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erupted into flames and soon blew up. Evidence suggests that the
Confederate crew had set their own ship afire to prevent her capture. Be that as it may, the arrival of the
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assisted Union Army troops in repelling a
Confederate land attack on Baton Rouge. The following morning, he headed north to confront
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disrupting
Confederate commerce in the last section of the river the Confederates still controlled. On 5 August, his ship and
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forced the ram's destruction. Congress recognized the role played by Porter and his ship in June 1864 when they awarded the
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to seize and control the
Mississippi and its tributaries for the Union. On 3 October, he was given the command of a
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Magnolia Hall...shelling by the Union gunboat Essex damaged the home. In fact, a cannonball landed in the kitchen.
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was named in his honor. It earned the dubious distinction of being called "the unluckiest ship in the U.S. Navy."
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from his sick bed. At the same time, he also superintended the construction of two other warships, the
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Though still severely hampered by his injuries, Porter directed the extensive repair and renovation of
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on 1 January 1823, and 11 years later was commissioned a lieutenant. From 1838 to 1840, he served as
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had sustained only minor damage, Porter patrolled the lower
Mississippi River between Vicksburg and
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missed her target and ran aground instead, where for ten minutes she remained under fire from both
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and taken cover under
Vicksburg's shore batteries. In company with the smaller converted riverboat
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Following retirement between 1855 and 1859, he returned to active duty and took command of the
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worked off the bank, she continued downstream, where she joined
Farragut's squadron.
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and
Central America for two years protecting American interests in that area.
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Between January and August 1862, Porter served gallantly up and down the
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Porter's last real action in the war occurred in September 1862 when
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Rosalie Beekman ... Natchez's only casualty during the war.
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at St. Louis in July and rejoined the Western Flotilla at
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inspector for the portion of the east coast between
611:"USS William D. Porter: The Navy's Unluckiest Ship"
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198:(1813–1891) as well as foster brother of Admiral
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445:attempted to ram, but as she approached, the
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664:Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
546:List of American Civil War generals (Union)
640:history.navy.mil/photos: William D. Porter
449:crew was able to spring her. As a result,
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235:at the age of 12. Porter was appointed a
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182:(10 March 1808 – 1 May 1864) was a
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417:out to attack the Confederate ironclad
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750:George Washington University alumni
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194:(1780–1843) and brother of Admiral
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730:People from Chester, Pennsylvania
715:Burials at The Woodlands Cemetery
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495:crew $ 25,000 in prize money.
457:and the shore batteries. When
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745:United States Navy commodores
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307:. Serving under Flag Officer
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278:secession of Southern states
720:United States Navy officers
502:conducted a bombardment of
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16:United States Navy officer
342:had commanded during the
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280:in 1860 and 1861 caused
286:Mare Island, California
508:Port Hudson, Louisiana
411:Vicksburg, Mississippi
212:New Orleans, Louisiana
615:Commonplace Fun Facts
216:Chester, Pennsylvania
92:Years of service
691:at Wikimedia Commons
617:. September 25, 2019
504:Natchez, Mississippi
373:attack on Fort Henry
323:sported a new name,
249:Washington Navy Yard
180:William David Porter
23:William David Porter
725:Union Navy officers
516:St. Luke's Hospital
311:, he patrolled the
290:St. Louis, Missouri
645:2005-08-25 at the
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464:Thereafter, since
329:, in honor of the
196:David Dixon Porter
188:United States Navy
162:David Dixon Porter
143:American Civil War
86:United States Navy
689:William D. Porter
687:Media related to
532:William D. Porter
434:Queen of the West
353:. On 10 January,
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63:(1864-05-01)
710:1864 deaths
705:1808 births
470:Baton Rouge
429:Yazoo River
344:War of 1812
220:John Porter
61:May 1, 1864
51:New Orleans
699:Categories
552:References
282:St. Mary's
261:St. Mary's
241:lighthouse
237:midshipman
121:St. Mary's
72:Allegiance
44:1808-03-10
528:destroyer
512:commodore
422:CSS
393:Lafayette
389:ironclads
360:St. Louis
298:ferryboat
272:Civil War
164:(brother)
149:Relations
127:USS
119:USS
106:Commodore
97:1859–1864
95:1823–1855
643:Archived
584:Archived
540:See also
522:Namesake
485:Arkansas
480:Arkansas
455:Arkansas
447:Arkansas
424:Arkansas
338:, which
300:-turned-
233:Franklin
228:Franklin
158:(father)
112:Commands
80:Service/
399:Choctaw
331:frigate
321:New Era
305:New Era
302:gunboat
186:of the
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475:Sumter
266:Mexico
82:branch
557:Notes
500:Essex
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669:here
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58:Died
38:Born
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