SINCE THE TIME of ancient Rome, equestrian monuments have been erected in public places as tributes to important figures in society, most often rulers and military commanders.
These works of public art feature a statue of a rider seated on a horse. The statue, often cast in bronze, is generally life-size or larger, and in most cases is mounted on a substantial base (or pediment) made of stone to elevate it above passers-by. This base may include carved inscriptions, bas-relief images, plaques, or other elements.
There are only three equestrian monuments in New Hampshire. Two are in Manchester — the Brig. Gen. Casimir Pulaski Monument (1938) and the Maj. Gen. John Stark Monument (1948). The third, the first of the three to be installed, is the Maj. Gen. Fitz John Porter Monument in Portsmouth, dedicated in 1906.
Casimir Pulaski is a hero of the American Revolution known as the “Father of the American Cavalry.” He was a military commander and freedom fighter in Poland before coming to the United States where he served under George Washington, Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. Pulaski is beloved by Polish American communities throughout the U.S. Local Polish immigrants were instrumental in the project to erect the monument in Manchester, achieving this accomplishment in the midst of the Great Depression.
John Stark, who grew up in Derryfield (now Manchester) and operated a farm and lumber mill in the town, is another Revolutionary War hero who served under Washington. He commanded American troops against the British in several key battles, and is most famous for his victory at the Battle of Bennington in 1777.
These two men are iconic figures in American history and folklore, and are obviously worthy of being honored by impressive equestrian monuments, both of which are the centerpieces of attractive municipal parks. But, who was Fitz John Porter? The handsome equestrian statue depicting him stands in Haven Park along South Mill Pond.
Porter, who served as an officer in the Union Army in the early years of the Civil War, was born in 1822 in a house on the site of what is now Haven Park. The building was later moved and now stands on Livermore Street which borders the park. Porter spent his early childhood in Portsmouth before being sent off to school to prepare for pursuing a military career.
The story of Porter’s life is no longer familiar to the general public, though it is well-known to local historians and to Civil War scholars. Several books, the most recent published in 2021, have been written about him that focus primarily on the one incident that ruined his military career. The controversy that dominated Porter’s life, and that kept him in the public eye for decades, was his performance at the Second Battle of Manassas (known as the Second Battle of Bull Run) from Aug. 28-30, 1862.
At one crucial point during the battle Porter disobeyed the Union’s battlefield commander, Maj. Gen. John Pope, who had ordered Porter’s V Corps to attack the Confederates. Porter held his men back after receiving intelligence that he believed Pope did not have indicating that such an attack would be suicidal. Later, Porter, prodded by Pope, did order his men to attack, but the results were disastrous. The Union lost the battle, and Pope promptly blamed Porter, and accused him of insubordination. On Nov. 25, 1862, Porter was arrested and court-martialed. The drama played out in a highly politicized environment, and Porter was found guilty and cashiered from the Army on January 21, 1863.
In the years that followed Porter was persistent in his efforts to clear his name. In 1878 an army commission ruled that he had acted properly at Manassas, but he was not completely exonerated until Aug. 5, 1886, when President Grover Cleveland reversed the 1863 court-martial verdict. Porter was restored to the rank he had held at the beginning of the Civil War in 1861, as an infantry colonel. Two days later he retired from the army. He was not awarded back pay.
To this day, Civil War scholars continue to debate Porter’s skills as a military commander at the Second Battle of Manassas, and to examine his 24-year struggle for vindication that unfolded afterward.
Next week: Fitz John Porter and his family in Portsmouth.
