Porter, David Dixon, 1813-1891 to Henry A. Walke

Written in a clerical hand but signed by Acting Rear Admiral Porter to Captain Walke. Porter was commander of the Mississippi River Squadron while Walke was commander of the USS "Lafayette." Walke seems to have been in Hellena, Arkansas. Tells Walke to let one steamer cruise between Island No. 10 and New Madrid. Says one gunboat is enough at Hellena. Wants Fort Pillow, island No. 10, and New Madrid always protected by a gunboat. Wants to know what ship will go to Island No. 10. In 1861, David Dixon Porter joined the Navy's Gulf Squadron in command of the USS Powhatan. He was promoted to commander on April 22, 1861, and to captain on February 7, 1863. He took part in the 1862 expedition up the Mississippi River against New Orleans, in command of 21 mortar boats and several steamers. Aboard his flagship, USS Black Hawk, he commanded the Mississippi River Squadron during the Vicksburg Campaigns in 1862-63 and during the Red River Campaign in 1864. Porter was conspicuous in the siege of Vicksburg, was wounded in his head during the amphibious operations at Grand Gulf, Mississippi, on April 20, 1863, and received promotion to rear admiral on July 4, 1863, the day of the Confederate surrender of Vicksburg. He received the Thanks of Congress in April 1864, "for all the eminent skill, endurance, and gallantry exhibited by him and his squadron, in cooperation with the Army, in the opening of the Mississippi River." During 1864 Porter commanded the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron and took part in the capture of Fort Fisher in January 1865.