Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 February 1891 — HIS SUFFERING ENDED. [ARTICLE]

HIS SUFFERING ENDED.

ADMIRAL DAVID D. PORTER EXPIRES PEACEFULLYI\ » 1 —————— ’ Heart Troubles ot Long Duration the Cause—Surnnundyd by His Fapfi y and Friend*—-Hi* Service.* .to the Nation— He Came from Naval Sto k. [Washington dispatch. ] Admiral David D. Porter, the ranking naval officer of the rutted States, long commander-in-chief of the United States navy, died at his home in „this city at 8:15 this morning of fatty degeneration of the heart. His death t would not have beep a surprise had it occurred at any time within a year. Ho has been seriously ill for many montns, yet at the last the end came swiftly and suddenly, with but a few minutes of warning. Twelve years ago the Admiral had a severe stomach-*trouble which greatly weakened his system, and from whiclphe never recovered. Five years ago Dr. Wa’es, then Surgeon General of the United States navy, madti an examination, and told the old sailor that there were symptoms which pointed to the failure of the action of the heart. 'Admiral Porter was an optimist. He laughed, and said to Dr. Wales: “Nonsetfse, my heart is as good as yoqrs and tetter.” But even to the last hours pt fits*"consciousness Admiral Porter exhibited a feeble hope that there was a cufe lii'ktorh for him. Last summer he began to show marked signs of rapid de(|Kne. His memory became visibly weaker, his strength was sapped, and his nerves seemed tolo e their vitality. From the drain which was manifest upon his vital resources then ho never fully recovered. He was brought to Washington from bis summer home at Jamesiowlf,'near Newport. almost a dying man, and at times during the winter had been in a state of semi-coma. For the past five months, in consequence of the nature of his disease, it had been necessary to keep the patient in an upright po itlon, and for that time he had either occupied a great arm-chair in his bed room or had half-lounged upon a cushion on the sofa. It was not until eight o’clock this morning that young Mr. Porter noticed a startling change come over his father. There was a fluttering of the breath and pulse, a slight movement of the body, and in fifteen minutes the e.nd had come. There was no struggle, there was no movement to indicate a consciousness. The encumbered heart had stopped. Mr. Richard Porter, at the time of death, held one hand of the Admiral, and his sister, Mrs. Lieutenant Logan, the other. There were in the room at the time, besides Lieutenant Theodoric Porter, of the navy, son of the Admiral, Lieutenant L. C. Logan, of the army; the nurse, James McDonald, a Scotchman: and William Wilkes, a colored servant who has been with the Admiral for twenty-five years. Mrs. Porter, who was ill in bed, overcome by the long attentions to her husband,,and who had never abandoned hope of his rWovery, was not summoned to the death-bed, although she was in the adjoining room. The interment will take place in Arlington in a lot selected by the Admiral about one year ago. He then drove there, accompanied by one of his sons and his daughter, Mrs. Logan, and pointed to a lot near»to that occupied by the remains of Gen. Sheridan, down the eastern terrace, .overlooking the Potomac and the capital. He said: “Drive a stake theie, for there is where my body shall rest.” For weeks Admiral Porter had not been permitted to see his friends. Not very long ago General Sherman called and left a message of sympathy. He said to Admiral Porter's daughter: “I would rather not see Porter unless I could see him as he always was when j have met him. I will be the next one, and perhaps I may go before Porter does. Anyhow, it’s nothing to die, and it is just as natural as it is to be born.”

In the death of Admiral David Dixon Porter the country loses the last of a trio of uaval comuiandet's who sustained in the civil war the finest traditions of th® old navy. Though far from being alone In this record of gallantry, the names of Farragut, Foote and Porter have a pre-eminence of their own. David D. Porter was born in Chester, Pa., June 8, 1813, and thus-lacked a few months ortompleting his 78th year. He had his first experience in tbe Mexican service in 1827, being then 14 years of age. In 1829 Re was appointed midshipman In the United States navy and attained his lieutenancy in 1841. He served during tbe entire Mexican war, had charge of the naval rendezvous at New Orleans and was engaged in every action on the coast. Afterward he commanded for some years steamships in the Pacific Mall service between New York and the Isthmus of Panama. At the beginning of the civil war he was appointed to the command of the Powhatan,' oh service in the‘Gulf. In Farragut’s attack on New Ojrleans, Porter, now promoted to Commander, commanded tbe mortar fleet. Farragut, having destroyed the enemy’s fleet of fifteen vessels, left the reduction of Fort Jackson and Fort St. Philip to Porter, while he proceeded to the city. The forts surrendered In April, 1862. Porter then assisted Farragut in all the latter’s operations between New Orleans and Vicksburg, where he effectively bombarded the forts and enabled the fleet to pass in safety. After his service at Vicksburg, Porter received the thanks of Congress and tho commission of Rear Admiral, dated July 4, 18C3, the date of the fall of that town. He ran past the batteries of Vicksburg and captured the Confederate forts at Grand Gulf, which put his fleet Into communication with Gen. Grant. In the spring of 1864 Porter co-operated with .Gen. Banks In the Red River fiasco, and later in the same year was transferred to tbe North Atlantic squadron and reduced Ft. Fisher. Rear Admiral Porter received a vote of thanks from Congress, which was the fourth that he received during the war. Rear Admiral Porter was promoted to be Vice Admiral on July 25,. 1866, served a while-as Superintendent of the Naval Academy and was then transferred to Washington. On Aug. 15, 1870, he was appointed Admiral of the Navy, the highest grade in the service. In 1882, Porter published “Incidents and Anecdotes of the Civil War.” and in 1887 “History ot the Navy in the War of the Rebellion,” a work of substantial merit. He was married in 1839 to Anne Paterson, a daughter of Commodore D. T. Paterson. He leaves one son in the navy, one in the Marine Corps, besides two others in private life, and two daughters.