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David Dixon Porter ( June 8 , 1813 – February 13 , 1891 ) was a United States Admiral who became one of the most noted naval heroes of the Civil War . Porter was one of the first U.S. Navy officers to bear the rank of Admiral ; prior to the Civil War, no officer had held a rank higher than Commodore , as ''admiral'' was considered to have Royalist connotations. PRE-CIVIL WAR CAREER Born in Chester, Pennsylvania , Porter was the son of Commodore David Porter , USN (1780–1843), a hero of the War Of 1812 ; brother-in-law of Carlile Pollock Patterson ; foster brother of David G. Farragut ; cousin of Fitz John Porter ; and brother-in-law of Confederate general Thomas A. Harris . He started his sea career as a cadet in the Mexican Navy in 1826, then attended Columbia College in New York. He entered the U.S. Navy as Midshipman on February 2 , 1829 . He was attached to coastal survey from 1836–1840, then cruised in Brazil ian waters. He later served at the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. He also served in the Mexican War . CIVIL WAR SERVICE In 1861, Porter joined the Navy's Gulf Squadron in command of the USS ''Powhatan'' . He was promoted to commander on April 22 1861 , and to captain on February 7 1863 . He took part in the 1862 expedition up the Mississippi River against New Orleans , in command of 21 mortar boats and several steamers. Aboard his flagship, USS ''Black Hawk'' , he commanded the Mississippi River Squadron during the Vicksburg Campaign s in 1862–63 and during the Red River Campaign in 1864. Porter was conspicuous in the Siege Of Vicksburg , was wounded in his head during the amphibious operations at Grand Gulf, Mississippi, on April 20 , 1863 , and received promotion to Rear Admiral on July 4 , 1863 , the day of the Confederate surrender of Vicksburg. He received the Thanks of Congress in April 1864, "for all the eminent skill, endurance, and gallantry exhibited by him and his squadron, in cooperation with the Army, in the opening of the Mississippi River." During 1864 Porter commanded the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron and took part in the Capture Of Fort Fisher in January 1865. He once again received the thanks of Congress:
POST-WAR CAREER Porter was promoted to Vice Admiral in July 1866, and to Admiral on October 17 , 1870 . This made him the Navy's senior officer of the post-war era. His first assignment was Chief of the Bureau of Navigation of the U.S. Navy. From 1866 to 1870 he was Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy . Before his death, he wrote several naval books and novels. He died in Washington, D.C. , (some sources say Harrisburg, Pennsylvania ) and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery . PUBLICATIONS Admiral Porter wrote a number of books:
LEGACY Five ships have been named USS ''Porter'' for him and his father. REFERENCES
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