PORTER. 177 



tegic perception which mark the greatest of naval commanders. In addition, he 

 had a certain mental habit, rarely found in its full development in such an eager 

 and original nature, but almost equally impressive in ship life, of careful and 

 exact attention to important details of preparation. . . . He was not fussy 

 or overminute, and he was never tied down by any preconceived theories as to the 

 use of a particular instrument or agency where any other would do as well; but he 

 looked narrowly into the conditions that were to confront him and took care 

 to be ready to meet them." l 



As an organizer he was superior. "His two great objects were celerity and 

 efficiency. He cared very little about methods. He had a perfect sense of logical 

 proportion in the affairs with which he was dealing; and whether large or small, 

 provided they were important, he could give them the attention they deserved. 

 This faculty of taking in the whole of a large field of view at a single glance and at 

 the same time giving minute application to essential details was characteristic of 

 all of Porter's work, whether he was dealing with questions of organization or 

 with the larger problems of strategy in the conduct of actual operations." 



The combination of executive ability and hyperkinetic dash was a fortunate 

 one. "It is in these moments of battle that we see Porter at his best, for here we 

 find in its fullest development that extraordinary combination of a cool and even 

 professional judgment, operating with arrow-like swiftness and precision in direct- 

 ing his entire force, with a most intense physical energy and activity." 3 



Literary impulses. These were, as we have seen, strong, though the product 

 was not of high grade and lacked finish. His father wrote two books. 



DAVID PORTER (David 2d) was born at Boston, February 1, 1780. At the 

 age of 18 he was appointed midshipman on the frigate Constellation and received 

 award for his services when that vessel fought L'Insurgente* 1799. He was com- 

 missioned lieutenant in 1800, was assigned to the schooner Experiment, and fought 

 West Indian pirates. He was active in the naval battles against Tripoli, was 

 captured with the Philadelphia 6 and imprisoned in Tripoli until the close of the 

 war (1805). In 1808, as commander, he succeeded his father as sailing-master 

 at the New Orleans naval station. In July 1811 he was assigned to the command 

 of the frigate Essex, 32 guns, which, at the outbreak of the War of 1812, set out 

 with orders to pursue British ships. On August 13, the Essex captured the 

 Alert. Porter decided to take his ship to the Pacific and destroy the British whal- 

 ing interests there. During the year 1813 he captured numerous British whalers, 

 several of which he equipped for fighting, and added them to his fleet. British 

 frigates having been sent to seize him, he put into the Marquesas Islands for 

 repairs, was led to slaughter the Typee villagers, and then set sail for Valparaiso, 

 arriving there January 1814. Here he was "bottled up" by the British frigate 

 Phcebe, 36 guns, accompanied by the sloop-of-war Cherub (20 guns). He even- 

 tually engaged them both, but the range of the enemy's guns were greater than his 

 own and, as his own ship had lost its maintop in a storm, he could not get near 

 enough to the enemy to inflict damage. When only 75 of his crew of 225 were 

 left effective for duty and his ship was on fire he surrendered to save the lives of 

 the wounded. The survivors returned home hi one of the captured whalers, 

 under parole. Off Sandy Hook they were held up by a British frigate, but Porter 

 rowed ashore to Long Island in a whaleboat at night to avoid parleying with the 



1 Soley, 1903, pp. 93, 94. Ibid., p. 471. 6 Ibid., pp. 24, 58, 109, 185. 



1 Ibid., p. 468. Ibid., p. 187. 



