David Dixon Porter

Object Details

Artist

Alexander Gardner, 17 Oct 1821 - 10 Dec 1882

Sitter

David Dixon Porter, 8 Jun 1813 - 13 Feb 1891

Exhibition Label

Rear Admiral David Dixon Porter came from a naval family and became a midshipman in 1829, serving in a variety of theaters, including the Mediterranean. Service in the peacetime military was slow, boring, and devoid of opportunities to make one’s mark. Porter did well in the Mexican American War, obtaining a bigger command and a promotion, but afterward military service resumed its slow pace. Galvanized by the outbreak of the Civil War, Porter devised a plan to resupply the federal forts in Florida and then spearheaded the naval assault on New Orleans. He was also singularly successful in the combined operation—commanded by Ulysses Grant on land—to take Vicksburg. Thereafter, Porter had few opportunities to shine, and combined Union navy-army operations off North Carolina were not distinguished. Porter saw out the end of the war on his flagship anchored in the James River, as Gardner pictured him here.

Credit Line

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

1864

Object number

NPG.78.155

Restrictions & Rights

CC0

Type

Photograph

Medium

Albumen silver print

Dimensions

Image/Sheet: 22.3 × 17.4 cm (8 3/4 × 6 7/8")

Mount: 26.2 × 18.6 cm (10 5/16 × 7 5/16")

Mat: 45.7 × 35.6 cm (18 × 14")

See more items in

National Portrait Gallery Collection

Location

Currently not on view

National Portrait Gallery

Topic

Personal Attribute\Facial Hair\Mustache

Exterior\Ship

Weapon\Canon

Vehicle\Ship\Deck rail

Personal Attribute\Facial Hair\Beard

Equipment\Rope

Symbols & Motifs\Star

Costume\Dress Accessory\Button\Brass

Photographic format\Carte-de-visite

David Dixon Porter: Male

David Dixon Porter: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\Civil War

David Dixon Porter: Military and Intelligence\Navy\Officer\Admiral

David Dixon Porter: Military and Intelligence\Navy\Officer\Rear Admiral

David Dixon Porter: Military and Intelligence\Navy\Officer\Vice Admiral

Portrait

Record ID

npg_NPG.78.155

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm479abd90e-e01c-4f52-8715-2355b0075956