Porter, Fitz-John, 1822-1901

U.S. Army officer during the Civil War and public official, New York and New Jersey.

From the description of Letters, 1894-1895. (Portsmouth Athenaeum Library & Museum). WorldCat record id: 70975832

American army officer.

From the description of Autograph letter signed : Morristown, to an unidentified Senator, [1876?] Feb. 29. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270618668

From the description of Autograph telegram signed : [n.p.], to General Morell, Miner's Hill, [1861]. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270618672

From the description of Autograph letter, incomplete : Nantucket, to an unidentified recipient, 1882 Dec. 26. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270992447

U.S. Army officer and public official in New Jersey and New York City.

From the description of Letter, 1882 Apr. 10. (Portsmouth Athenaeum Library & Museum). WorldCat record id: 70922441

Union General.

From the description of Notes on Second Manassas [manuscript], n.d. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 647862352

Fitz-John Porter was a United States Army major-general in the V Corps during the United States Civil War.

From the description of Fitz-John Porter papers, 1822-1953, bulk 1822-1893. (US Army, Mil Hist Institute). WorldCat record id: 47350065

Union Army officer.

From the description of Papers, 1882-1951. (Duke University Library). WorldCat record id: 20071506

Army officer and public official in New Jersey and New York, N.Y.

From the description of Fitz-John Porter papers, 1830-1949 (bulk 1861-1898). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 70980190

A West Point graduate with Mexican War service and an army career, Porter served under his friend Gen. George B. McClellan during the Civil War. Porter became the scapegoat for Gen. John Pope's loss at 2nd Manassas (Bull Run), and was courtmartialed and dismissed from the service. He spent the rest of his life seeking vindication and was restored in 1886.

From the description of Correspondence, September 1892. (Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library). WorldCat record id: 304458104

West Point graduate and Colonel in the Civil War who was accused, by General Pope of insubordination and his failure at Manassass, was court martialed and found guilty, stripped of his rank, removed from the army and denied the possibility of holding public office. In 1880 his case was reviewed and he was exonerated and reinstated, returned to his rank and given his pension.

From the description of Letter, Nov. 17, 1879. (Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library). WorldCat record id: 53882401

Fitz-John Porter (1822-1901) was born in Portsmouth, N.H. In 1841 he entered West Point and graduated eighth in his class in 1845. From West Point he went to a distinguished career in the military until 1862 when he was blamed for the Union defeat in the Second Battle of Bull Run, court-martialed, and cashiered. In 1886, after a controversial review of new found evidence, Porter was briefly reinstated as a colonel and retired.

In 1880 General Jacob Dolson Cox (1828-1900) had sent a letter concerning the Porter case to James A. Garfield (1831-1881). In it Cox opposed the decision of the Advisory Board headed by General John M. Scholfield (1831-1906) to reinstate Porter. Garfield was to defend the original court-martial decision before the House of Representatives. The letter was published and created much controversy. Porter wrote to Cox requesting a copy of the letter so that he might defend himself against the charges. Cox complied.

From the description of Papers, 1870-1883. (American Antiquarian Society). WorldCat record id: 191259626

Biographical Note

• 1822, Aug. 31: Born, Portsmouth, N.H.
• 1841 - 1845 : Cadet, United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.
• 1846 - 1849 : Promoted to second lieutenant and served with Generals Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott during Mexican War, advancing to ranks of captain and major for gallantry in action
• 1849 - 1855 : Instructor, United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.
• 1856: Transferred to Adjutant General's Department
• 1857: Married Harriet Pierson Cook
• 1857 - 1860 : Attached to Colonel Albert Sidney Johnston's Utah Expedition as assistant adjutant general and chief of staff until ordered back to the East
• 1860 - 1861 : Inspected defenses of Charleston, S.C., harbor, supervised withdrawal of troops from Texas, and in charge of restoration and protection of railroads between Washington, D.C., and the North
• 1861, Feb.: Special duty in the Gulf of Mexico
• 1861, May 14: Appointed colonel
• 1861, May 17: Appointed brigadier general, volunteers
• 1862, July 4: Appointed major general, volunteers
• 1862: Commanded 5th Army Corps under General George Brinton McClellan
• 1862 - 1863 : Court-martialed for disobedience of orders and misconduct in the face of the enemy at the 2nd Battle of Manassas and cashiered
• 1865 - 1871 : Merchant in New York and appointed commissioner of public works, police commissioner and fire commissioner of New York, N.Y., and cashier of the New York Post Office
• 1879: Vindicated of court-martial charges by military review
• 1886, Aug. 5: Recommissioned in the army by special act of Congress
• 1901, May 21: Died, Morristown, N.J.

From the guide to the Fitz-John Porter Papers, 1830-1949, (bulk 1861-1898), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)