About these pages . . .

These pages contain a transcription of the typed manuscript,  "EARLY DAYS OF PITTSBURG, TEXAS 1859-1874: Life of John C. Porter and Sketch of His Experiences in the Civil War," John C. Porter, Pittsburg-Camp County Public Library, Pittsburg, Texas, March 29, 1874, 42 pp.  Porter (1844-1920) described his family and early life in Camp County, Texas, then elaborated his diary of experiences during the Civil War as a private in Company H, 18th Texas Infantry. An epilogue was added by his eldest daughter, Dorothy Annie Porter Tittle, in 1920 or later. Location of the original handwritten manuscript is unknown. It seems likely that Porter did not create the typewritten version as he would not have made transcription errors such as "Ft. DeBusy" for Ft. De Russy.

Readers desiring a more complete story of the campaign of the 18th Texas Infantry may read

TEXANS IN GRAY: A REGIMENTAL HISTORY of the EIGHTEENTH TEXAS INFANTRY, WALKER'S TEXAS DIVISION in the CIVIL WAR, edited by James Henry Davis, Heritage Oak Press, Tulsa, OK, 1999, 210 pp., illustrations. (Presently available by mail from the author for $29.45 at 5349 E. 95th Street, Tulsa, OK 74137.)  Referenced herein as "Davis 1999."

Porter's autobiography is presented verbatim in these online pages, with the original spelling preserved for authenticity. Page numbering has been preserved so that references to the original manuscript will be valid. The editor has added a map showing the Porter homestead, an index, and a few clarifying notes (within square brackets) from information in Davis 1999, the online web sites RandysTexas by Randy Howald and The Handbook of Texas Online by the Texas State Historical Association.

Appreciation is due librarian Mrs. Faye McMinn of the Pittsburg-Camp County Public Library, for assistance with the manuscript and inquiries about the Porter family.

H. David Maxey, Editor
2001