Talk:J. Hampden Porter

Dr. John Hampden Porter - Not a West Point Graduate

There are major errors with regards to the education and military service of Dr. John Hampden Porter and this is not exclusive to this Wikipedia article. I will list the discrepancies with the actual historical evidence:

1). Dr. Porter was appointed (1 February 1858) and admitted to the US Military Academy, West Point, 1 July 1858 as noted in this article. The contributer(s) of this article cites "List of Cadets Admitted into the United States Military Academy, West Point, NY from its Origin Until September 1, 1901." Yes he did in fact enter the Military Academy on 1 July 1858, however the contributor neglected to understand the legend for the names in bold versus those that are not in the Roll of Cadets. On the first page of the Roll of Cadets it explicitly states: "Note - The names of the graduates are in black type." John Hampden Porter's name is not in bold. He was not a graduate.

2). Further evidence comes from the Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army, From its Organization, September 29, 1789, to March 2, 1903. Volume 1. By Francis B. Heitman. Washington: Government printing Office, 1903, pg 800. In his listing, it states that he was a Cadet M A, 1 July to 20 December 1858. This source was cited later, however a suggestion that he attended a Military Academy until 20 December 1862 as stated here is incorrect. He was not a graduate.

3). John Hampden Porter was a medical doctor. He graduated with his MD from Georgetown College, Department of Medicine in 1861. Source: Georgetown University in the District of Columbia 1789-1907: Its Founders, Benefactors, Officers, Instructors and Alumni. by James S. Easby-Smith, Volume Two. New York: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1907, pg. 373

4). Dr. John Hampden Porter was an Acting Assistant Surgeon, U.S. Navy, 17 October 1861. Resigned 25 June 1862. He needed to have completed or nearly complete his medical education before being appointed; as he did in 1861. Source: List of Officers of the Navy of the United States and the Marine Corps from 1775 to 1900: Comprising a Complete Register of all Present and former Commissioned, Warranted, and Appointed Officers of the United States Navy, and of the Marine Corps, Regular and Volunteer. Compiled from the Official Records of the Navy Department. Edited by Edward W. Callahan. New York: L. R. Hammersley & Co., 1901, pg. 441.

5). Acting Assistant Surgeon John Hampden Porter served on the USS Albatross, North Atlantic Blockading Squadron in 1861-2. Source: United States Navy Hospital Tickets, handwritten and signed by AAS J H Porter in 1861 and 1862 - National Archives & Records Administration (NARA) Files, available on ancestry.com.

6). It is impossible to have attended medical school and serve in the U.S. Navy at the same time this article and others purport that John Hampden Porter was still a Cadet at the Military Academy and graduated in 1862.

Therefore his Education section should read as follows:

Cadet, Military Academy, Norwich University, Northfield, Vermont, 1854-56 - Listed as an 1857 Non-Graduate

Cadet, U. S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, 1 July 1858 to 20 December 1858. Appointed by Pennsylvania. Not a graduate.

Georgetown College, Department of Medicine, M.D., 1861.

His Career section should begin as follows:

Acting Assistant Surgeon, U.S. Navy, 17 October 1861. Resigned 25 June 1862.

Assistant Surgeon, US Army Volunteers, 25 November 1864. Brevet Captain US Army Volunteers, 20 December 1865 for faithful service. Honorably mustered out, 10 January 1866.

Therefore I will be formulating the correction of this article, with sources, make it accurate. Nlherman02 (talk) 04:53, 16 February 2024 (UTC)