D. Porter, the subject of this notice, born in Philadelphia,
entered the navy as midshipman in the year 1829. His first cruise was
in the Mediterranean, under Commodore Biddle, till 1831. After a
year's leave of absence, he returned to that station, which has ever
proved, in its liberal intercourse with the men of other nations, and
its undying associations of nature and art, a most important school in
the education of the young naval officers of the United States. Having
passed his examination in 1835, young Porter was attached to the coast
survey service from 1836 to 1841, when he was promoted to a
lieutenancy and was ordered to the frigate Congress, in which he
sailed for four years on the Mediterranean and South American
stations. In 1845, we find him attached to the National Observatory at
Washington in special service. During the Mexican war which succeeded,
he was in charge of the naval rendezvous at New Orleans, was
subsequently again employed on the coast survey, and from 1849 to 1853
was, by permission of the department, in command of the California
mail steamers Panama and Georgia, running from New York to Aspinwall,
a rising commercial service of national importance, to which his
experience and personal character were of great value. After this he
was in various home services, till 1861, when he was promoted to the
rank of commander, and placed in command of the steam-sloop Powhatan,
in which he joined the Gulf Blockading squadron off Pensacola. He had
thus, at the outbreak of the Rebellion, been thirty-two years in the
service, over nineteen of which had been spent at sea and nine on
shore duty.

A special service of great importance was presently intrusted to him.
When in the beginning of 1862, an expedition was set on foot to open
the Mississippi River to New Orleans, he was assigned to the command
of a fleet of bomb-vessels to co-operate with the squadron of Captain
Farragut in that enterprise--a service which he carried out with
distinguished ability.

After the capture of New Orleans, Commander Porter continued to
co-operate with Captain Farragut on the Mississippi, being engaged in
the movement on Vicksburg in May. In the following October he was
placed in command of the Mississippi squadron, with the rank of acting
rear-admiral, and when, in the ensuing year, operations were actively
resumed for the capture of Vicksburg, his squadron, in concert with
the victorious army of General Grant, was const