George A. Porterfield

George Alexander Porterfield was a junior officer of United States forces in the MexicanAmerican War, colonel in the Confederate States Army during the first year of the American Civil War and longtime banker in Charles Town, West Virginia after the war. He was in command of Confederate forces at Philippi in northwestern Virginia, later West Virginia, when they were surprised and routed, though with only a few soldiers wounded or captured, by Union Army forces on June 3, 1861 near the beginning of the Civil War. After serving in staff and temporary field positions formore months, Porterfield resigned from the Confederate Army because he lost his position in a regimental election. In 1871 he helped found a bank at Charles Town, West Virginia which he served for many years. At his death he was the thirdlast surviving veteran officer of the MexicanAmerican War.

George Alexander Porterfield was born in Berkeley County, Virginia on November 24, 1822. He was the son of George and Mary Porterfield and the grandson of William and Rachel Porterfield. His grandfather was a captain in the American Revolutionary War, a justice of Berkeley County in 1785 and high sheriff of the county in 1803. His father was a veteran of the War of 1812.

Source: Wikipedia