Peter A. Porter (colonel)
Encyclopedia
Peter Augustus Porter was a Union Army
colonel
in the American Civil War
. He died in the Battle of Cold Harbor
.
lawyer Peter Buell Porter
who was a military leader in the War of 1812
. He graduated from Harvard, studied at Heidelberg and Berlin, and graduated from Harvard Law School in 1857. He also authored plays, poems, and essays. Porter married his cousin Mary Cabell Breckinridge in 1852 and had a son named Peter Augustus Porter.
from 1861–62, and was appointed colonel of the 129th New York State Volunteers on July 7, 1862. The 129th New York State Volunteer Regiment was renamed the 8th New York Heavy Artillery and Porter was appointed Colonel. These units generally guarded the forts around Washington, D.C.
and participated in parades used to increase morale in the city in the time of war. However, they were also trained to be used as infantry if necessary. Porter was nominated for New York Secretary of State on September 5, 1863, but declined due to his dedication to the military campaign of Lt. Gen.
Ulysses S. Grant
, saying that his neighbors had entrusted him with the lives of their sons and he could not leave them while the war lasted. In May 1864, Porter was ordered by Grant to go to Virginia
to join the fighting in the south.
Porter was killed on June 3, 1864, leading a charge at Cold Harbor, Virginia. Six bullets were found in his body, and during a rain storm on the night of Cold Harbor's second day, five men of the 8th NYHA (Sgt. Leroy Williams, Galen S. Hicks, John Duff, Walter Harwood, Samuel Traviss and John Heany) brought Porter's body into the US lines. For his participation in recovering Col. Porter's body, Sgt. Williams was later awarded the Medal of Honor. Porter was carried to Baltimore, Maryland, to be met by a military escort and carried to the Episcopal Church where he used to attend services when he lived in that city, and there placed in the chancel draped in the flag of his country. Chaplain De La Matyr accompanied Porter's body back to Niagara Falls
. Services for Porter were held at St. Peter's Church
, led by Reverend Dr. Shelton, an Episcopal minister and the same that had given the same last rites to his father, mother, and beloved wife. Following the funeral services at the church, his remains were carried to his final resting place in Oakwood Cemetery (Niagara Falls, NY)
.
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. He died in the Battle of Cold Harbor
Battle of Cold Harbor
The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought from May 31 to June 12, 1864 . It was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign during the American Civil War, and is remembered as one of American history's bloodiest, most lopsided battles...
.
Early life
Porter was born in Black Rock, New York, the only son of YaleYALE
RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
lawyer Peter Buell Porter
Peter Buell Porter
Peter Buell Porter was an American lawyer, soldier and politician who served as United States Secretary of War from 1828 to 1829.-Life:...
who was a military leader in the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. He graduated from Harvard, studied at Heidelberg and Berlin, and graduated from Harvard Law School in 1857. He also authored plays, poems, and essays. Porter married his cousin Mary Cabell Breckinridge in 1852 and had a son named Peter Augustus Porter.
Civil War
Porter was a member of the New York State AssemblyNew York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
from 1861–62, and was appointed colonel of the 129th New York State Volunteers on July 7, 1862. The 129th New York State Volunteer Regiment was renamed the 8th New York Heavy Artillery and Porter was appointed Colonel. These units generally guarded the forts around Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and participated in parades used to increase morale in the city in the time of war. However, they were also trained to be used as infantry if necessary. Porter was nominated for New York Secretary of State on September 5, 1863, but declined due to his dedication to the military campaign of Lt. Gen.
Lieutenant General (United States)
In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general...
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
, saying that his neighbors had entrusted him with the lives of their sons and he could not leave them while the war lasted. In May 1864, Porter was ordered by Grant to go to Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
to join the fighting in the south.
Porter was killed on June 3, 1864, leading a charge at Cold Harbor, Virginia. Six bullets were found in his body, and during a rain storm on the night of Cold Harbor's second day, five men of the 8th NYHA (Sgt. Leroy Williams, Galen S. Hicks, John Duff, Walter Harwood, Samuel Traviss and John Heany) brought Porter's body into the US lines. For his participation in recovering Col. Porter's body, Sgt. Williams was later awarded the Medal of Honor. Porter was carried to Baltimore, Maryland, to be met by a military escort and carried to the Episcopal Church where he used to attend services when he lived in that city, and there placed in the chancel draped in the flag of his country. Chaplain De La Matyr accompanied Porter's body back to Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
. Services for Porter were held at St. Peter's Church
St. Peter's Church
St. Peter's Church, or variations on that name including Old St. Peter's Church, may refer to:-Bermuda:* St. Peter's Church, St. George's, the oldest-surviving Anglican church outside the British Isles, and the oldest surviving Protestant church in the New World.-Ireland:* St. Peter's Church,...
, led by Reverend Dr. Shelton, an Episcopal minister and the same that had given the same last rites to his father, mother, and beloved wife. Following the funeral services at the church, his remains were carried to his final resting place in Oakwood Cemetery (Niagara Falls, NY)
Oakwood Cemetery (Niagara Falls, NY)
Oakwood Cemetery in Niagara Falls, New York was founded in 1852 after land was donated by Lavinia Porter. It covers over 18 acres and over 19,000 are buried there. Notable graves include first person to travel over Niagara Falls in a barrel Annie Edson Taylor, U.S...
.