Samuel Porter
Co. B, 4th Regiment DE Infantry

I am going to give you all the information I can and that I have available to me, because I am VERY PROUD of my Great Great Grandfather even if I never knew him.  Most of the information I will give to you tonight is information that my Great Aunt Irene gave me before her death.

"Samuel Porter was a carriage maker until his enlistment in the army on August 13, 1862.  He served in Co. B, 4th Regiment, Delaware Infantry.  In October 1862 he became a corporal.  He was wounded at the start of the siege of Petersburg.  A shattered right elbow kept him on the government pension roll for the rest of his life.  This wound was received on June 18,1864. His unit saw duty in the defense of Baltimore September 1862 to December 1862, Yorktown, VA. Dec. 28,1862 to July 1863.  It joined the Army of the Potomac May 1864, Rapidan May 29-June 15; Totopotomy May 29-31; Cold Harbor June 1-12; Petersburg June 16-18.  His active service stopped at this point because of his wound.  Additional service of his unit may be found on page 1018 of the "Compendiuim of the War of the Rebellion".  This may be in several volumes."


This is what I know:

Samuel Porter was the only son of the 5 children of William and Mary (Watson) Porter.  They are buried in Mt. Salem Cemetery, Wilmington, DE.

Samuel Porter was born Oct. 31,1842 in Delaware.  He was baptized along with all of his 4 sisters in Old Swedes Church just outside of New Castle, DE. He married Margaret Henderson (born in Scotland and came to America with her parents when she was just a child.) on Jan. 19,1870.  He died July 11, 1914 and is buried in Mt. Salem Cemetery, Wilmington, DE.  along with his wife and at least 2 of his children (Samuel and Ethel).  He is not buried with his parents William and Mary.  Samuel and Margaret had 6 children (3 sons and 3 daughters - not in order - William H., John H., Samuel W., Ethel, Irene May (my great grandmother), and Margaret L.

I would like your mailing address, because I want to copy Samuel's papers that I sent away for from the NARA and send them to you.  I also need to find that picture I took at the grave site in Mt. Salem.  I have several copies of it, but of course when I need one I can not find one.  That way everything I send you then you can keep it and use it when you want.

Hope to hear from you soon with your address.  If you have any more questions please feel free to ask them, and I will try to answer them.

Thank you so much for your interest in the Civil War.  I am glad that someone will continue to let everyone know what it was all about.

EM
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