de by Spain, the United States Government took exception to his
action and brought him to trial by court-martial. Porter confidently
expected an acquittal, having proof that the outrage was wanton, and
that the officials had engaged in it to protect some piratical plunder
which had been taken into the place. He argued also that the wording of
his orders from the department authorized his action. The court,
however, found him guilty of an offense which was charged as
"disobedience of orders, and conduct unbecoming an officer," and
sentenced him to six months' suspension. The sentence was accompanied by
the expression that the court "ascribes the conduct of the accused which
is deemed censurable to an anxious disposition, on his part, to maintain
the honor and advance the interest of the nation and of the service."
Indignant at the result, Porter resigned from the navy and took service
with the Mexican Republic. After spending there four years of harassing
disappointments, the election of General Jackson to the presidency gave
him a friend in power. He returned to the United States in October,
1829, under the encouragement of letters from persons closely connected
with the new administration. The President offered to nominate him to
his old position in the navy, but Porter declined "to associate with the
men who sentenced me for upholding the honor of the flag." This,
striking a kindred chord in Jackson's breast, elicited a warm note of
approval, and he appointed the commodore Consul-General to Algiers. The
conquest of that country by France put an end to the office before he
could assume the duties. The President then nominated him to be Charge
d'Affaires to Turkey. He went there in August, 1831, became Minister
Resident in 1839, and died in this post in 1843.

After his return from the Mosquito fleet, Farragut married, on the 24th
of September, 1823, Miss Susan C. Marchant, the daughter of a gentleman
of Norfolk, Virginia. He was at this time far from well; fever, which
spared him while on that sickly service, having seized him upon arrival
in a healthier climate. It was probably due in part to this that two
years passed after his marriage before he again joined a ship. During
this period he spent some weeks with his bride in the house of Commodore
Porter, who had returned temporarily from his squadron to regain his
strength after a severe attack of yellow fever. This was probably his
last close personal association with