ment in detail, providing rare but impor-
tant information on his role. For his actions
at Chickamauga on September 20, 1863,
confirmed by other witnesses, Porter
received the Medal of Honor. As Porter
told it, during the Union retreat on the
afternoon of September 20, he and another
officer, Captain J.P. Drouilliard, whom he
had known at West Point, reached the crest
of a hill. “I told him [Drouilliard] I was
going no farther, as long as we could hold
ten men together. He joined me, and by
urging and threats we formed nearly a hun-
dred men.”
Stragglers and unattached officers were
incorporated into the cohort that eventu-
ally weakened under artillery fire and sev-
eral bayonet attacks. But they at least led
the Confederates into believing a much
larger unit held the hill. Porter delayed the
Southern advance for about 20 minutes
until artillery finally cleared the way. By the
time Porter ordered the remaining soldiers
on the hill to retire, most defenders had
been killed or wounded under constant
Rebel assault. Meanwhile, other Union
troops escaped the Southern attack. Union
forces under General George Thomas
regrouped to prevent the retreat from
becoming a rout. Porter wrote to reassure
his sister on two accounts. “I was never in
better health or spirits in my life. Do not
believe any newspaper rumors about us
[being beaten]. We are all right now.”
Chickamauga was an important event
for the North and for Porter. It marked the
emergence of George Thomas and ended
the uncertain and hesitant command of
Rosecrans (who in later circumstances did
well). Porter and most Union troops sur-
vived. They could afford manpower losses;
the South could not. Furthermore, Union
troops were tempered, and reversal at
Chickamauga in Porter’s estimation was
“not serious. Nothing could exceed the
bravery of our troops. Their endurance and
courage saved our army and Chat-
tanooga.” He added that more vigorous
and able leadership was needed. He wrote,
“There must be some great changes among
our general officers before another battle.”
There were. Chickamauga brought fullcommand in the West to Ulysses S. Grant.
It also gave Porter further opportunity to
demonstrate valor and leadership under
fire and to meet Grant, who became
Porter’s most significant role model.
On October 23, 1863 in Chattanooga,
Porter met Grant for the first time. The
Union general had a major impact and
influence on the younger man, who never
lost admiration or respect for the plain-spo-
ken soldier who became his commanding
officer, mentor, president, and friend. Porter
saw in Grant the character and attributes of
a man far more complex than the tough
public exterior. To Porter, Grant possessed
many traits that also endeared Abraham
Lincoln to both Porter and America:
humanity, patience, determination, humil-
ity, simplicity, strength under pressure, and
sensitivity. Although he had the opportu-
nity to meet Lincoln more than once, Lin-
coln was a more distant hero. Porter was
with Grant every day for over a year of bit-
ter fighting in Virginia, through several
years in politics, and later through Grant’s
period of disgrace and illness.
Their first meeting was hardly auspi-
cious. Porter met Grant in a dark room
crowded with other officers. General
Thomas, then commanding the Army of
the Cumberland, introduced Porter to
Grant, who had been assigned command
of all Union armies in the West. From then
on, particularly after he was assigned to
Grant’s staff in Virginia, Porter believed
that despite humility, informality, small
stature, and minimal pomp and staff sur-
rounding him, Grant was the man who
would bring Union victory.
Although the Army of the Cumberland
survived Chickamauga, Porter realized
some problems went beyond the need for
more vigorous leadership. “Most of the
men were without overcoats, and some
without shoes; ten thousand animals had
died of starvation, and the gloom and
despondency had been increased by the
approach of cold weather and the appear-
ance of autumn storms.”
Porter understood logistics. At their
meeting on October 23, Grant asked him
how much ammunition was on hand fol-lowing Chickamauga. Porter replied there
was only enough for one day of intense bat-
tle. The next day, Thomas assigned Porter
to accompany Grant’s reconnaissance of
their positions around Chattanooga. Grant
again asked Porter to review the ordnance
situation and shared with Porter some
directives he was preparing for William
Tecumseh Sherman. Grant quickly became
aware of Porter’s experience, knowledge,
and abilities with siege warfare and
artillery. The young officer impressed
Grant, who liked his frank and honest
assessments. Porter liked what he saw in
Grant, too. He wrote that Grant was direct,
open, intelligent, offensive-minded, dedi-
cated, and had “singular mental powers
and rare military qualities.”
Porter’s opportunity to serve directly
under Grant was, however, still a half a
year away. In his immediate future was a
possible transfer to the ordnance office in
the War Department. The news again pro-
voked Porter’s criticism of “armchair gen-
erals with seniority, contacts, rank, and no
experience or zeal for the front.” Thomas,
with Porter’s approval, wrote to Grant,
asking the Western Commander to inter-
cede so that Porter could remain with
Thomas. Grant admitted he had little
chance at that time of reversing an order
from General Henry Halleck. But he gave
Porter a letter for Halleck requesting that
Porter be reassigned as soon as possible for
duty with Grant himself. Grant also
requested that Porter be promoted to
brigadier general when assigned to his staff.
Based on evaluations of Thomas and oth-
ers, Grant’s letter characterized Porter as
“one of the most meritorious and valuable
young officers in the service.”
On November 6, 1863 Porter left for the
War Department. On December 23, 1863
Horace and Sophie were married in
Albany. By January, they were settled in the
nation’s capital. But Porter had no desire
to remain behind a desk.
In spring 1864 Grant was called east to
command all Union armies. On April 4
Porter was assigned as Grant’s aide-de-
camp as a lieutenant colonel. As his respon-
sibilities grew, so did Porter’s perspectiveQ-Spr16 Horace Porter_Layout 1 1/14/16 12:25 PM Page 62