Major General Fitz John Porter Autographs, Memorabilia & Collectibles

Admiral David Porter's cousin, Fitz John Porter was a West Point graduate who also taught there. He was wounded in the Mexican War and served on the frontier. At the end of August 1862, Brigadier General Porter failed to cut Stonewall Jackson's and James Longstreet's forces and allowed the Confederates to emerge from Second Bull Run with a victory. General Pope blamed the Union Army's failure on Porter, charging him with willfully disobeying his orders. Porter was courtmartialed, found guilty in January 1863 and forced out of the Army. After spending the next 23 years trying to clear his name, in 1886, by Act of Congress, his rank was restored and Porter was reinstated so he could honorably retire. A board of investigation also decided that Porter had shown better judgment by ignoring Pope's orders. Porter died in Morristown on May 21, 1901.