Fitz-John Porter Union Army General Country: USA

1. Biography of Fitz John Porter
2. Role in the Civil War
3. Controversies and Trial
4. Later Years

Biography of Fitz John Porter

Fitz John Porter was born in 1822 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, into a family of naval officers. He was the nephew of Admiral David Porter. In 1845, he graduated from West Point and was appointed to the artillery. After the Mexican-American War, Porter taught at West Point and participated in the war against the Ute Indians.

Role in the Civil War

At the beginning of the Civil War, Porter was assigned to form volunteer units in Pennsylvania. He took part in the military actions to maintain the Union in the state of Missouri. During the Peninsula Campaign, Porter commanded an infantry division that besieged Yorktown. He was then transferred to command the V Corps, which suffered a devastating defeat at the Battle of Gaines' Mill but displayed true courage. The corps achieved greater success in the battles of Glendale and Malvern Hill. Eventually, the V Corps was assigned to the Army of Virginia under John Pope.

Controversies and Trial

Porter's brilliant attack on the second day of the Second Battle of Bull Run, according to some historians, saved General Pope's army from complete defeat. However, during the Antietam campaign, Porter's corps remained in reserve and did not participate in the fighting. On the same day that George McClellan was relieved of command of the Army of the Potomac, Porter, his loyal supporter, was temporarily relieved of command of his corps. John Pope remembered that during the Second Battle of Bull Run, Porter unexpectedly ceased his brilliant attack, although he was ordered to destroy James Longstreet's corps. The scapegoat for the defeat at Bull Run was found, and Pope did everything to bring Porter to trial for insubordination. This was made easier as Porter had never hidden his sympathies for "Little Napoleon," who had powerful enemies in the Lincoln administration.

On January 21, 1863, a military court, with political undertones, sentenced Porter to be dismissed from the military and stripped of all honors and awards. He was also banned from holding leadership positions in the army and the US administration. For the rest of his life, Porter dedicated himself to clearing his name. It was only in 1878 that his friends succeeded in having the case reviewed by a special commission of senior officers in the US Army. The commission acquitted Porter and annulled all punishments. However, it took another 8 years for Porter to be fully reinstated in the army. It was not until August 5, 1886, that Congress made the appropriate decision.

Later Years

During the post-war period, Fitz John Porter became a civilian and engaged in business. He passed away in 1901.