wood fuse plugs for one battery. Other
problems he faced were slaves who flocked
to Union lines and the unpredictable qual-
ity and attitude of volunteer troops.
Porter’s estimate of two months of sup-
plies in Fort Pulaski belied Confederate
ability to forage, improvise, and husband
resources. By February 1862, the fort
remained intact. Union morale was
plagued by rumors that they might with-
draw from Savannah after weeks of futile
effort and little progress. Soon, however,
firmer decisions and more strenuous efforts
were made. In March 1862, serious siege
preparations commenced. Porter was in the
forefront of activity, giving advice, super-
vising gun placements and dispositions,
selecting targets, and commanding 11 bat-
teries totaling 36 guns.
On April 11, after an intense two-day
bombardment, Porter reported that Fort
Pulaski was in Union hands. Still naive but
exuberant, he saw it as “Sumter
revenged.” He proudly noted that as com-
mander of the artillery batteries, “I fired
the first gun.” Porter came under shelling
during the battle and feared “several times
I was a goner.” Describing a captured
Confederate officer named Freeman after
the fort’s surrender, Porter noted he “was
a Union man and heartily wished the war
was over, but that the blood of the South
had been spilled and he would fight to the
end.” Porter closed optimistically that
“the Fort is all knocked to pieces, our
guns worked beautifully, and our firing
was much better than the Rebels’.”
Several things became clear to Porter dur-
ing the Fort Pulaski campaign. The war
could last a long time. The Confederates
were formidable adversaries despite supe-
rior Federal firepower and ordnance.
Senior Union officers, whether Regular
Army or volunteers, often were politically
motivated, misinformed, or simply inept.
Porter recognized his own talents as a
leader, soldier, and engineer. Finally, as the
Confederate officer Freeman had con-
vinced him, emotion and arguments for
slavery, secession, and war were major fac-
tors for the South.
Despite increasing responsibilities andreputation, the Fort Pulaski victory was
diminished for Porter by knowledge that
“they’re giving up on Savannah.” To
sweeten the disappointment, however,
Porter received an engraved sword and was
breveted captain “for gallant and meritori-
ous services” on April 11, 1862, the date
Fort Pulaski fell. He announced the pro-
motion and described his role and respon-
sibilities by noting: “I am sort of acting
brigadier general.” But the Union cam-
paign in the Carolinas had stalled. Porter
chaffed at slow progress in a secondary the-
ater of operations. He worked to prepare
heavy artillery for the James Island, SC,
expedition, and on June 16, 1862, took
part in the assault against Secessionville,SC, where he was wounded in the hand by
a shell fragment.
Finally, in July 1862, Porter was named
to General George McClellan’s staff as
chief of ordnance of the Armies of Virginia
(as it was then called). The assignment
reflected lack of battle experience among
Union officers at that early stage of the war
as well as the reputation Porter earned at
Fort Pulaski. Porter was justifiably proud
of his record and the assignment, although
he exaggerated when he wrote: “You see
this is the greatest position a young man
has ever held in this country.” Porter soon
grew disappointed at the new assignment,
however, and became increasingly critical
of incompetence, political motives, andABOVE: Porter’s artillery skills made an impact at Fort Pulaski near Savannah. He was promoted but he
came to feel that the war might very well be a long one owing to the stubborn resistance of the South-
erners. OPPOSITE: Horace Porter.Library of CongressQ-Spr16 Horace Porter_Layout 1 1/14/16 12:25 PM Page 59