Isagoo ku dhashay magaalada Boston ee gobolka Massachusetts, Porter wuxuu ka soo shaqeeyay dagaalkii u dhaxeeyay Faransiiska, marka hore wuxuu ahaa askari ka tirsan markabka, isagoo ka qeyb qaatay qabsashada "L'Insurgente" bishii Febraayo 9, 1799; ka dibna wuxuu ahaa taliye koowaad ee; ugu dambeyntiina wuxuu ahaa taliyaha USS "Amphitheatre". Intii lagu guda jiray Dagaalkii Barbary ee Koowaad
(1801<unk>07), Porter wuxuu ahaa taliye koowaad ee,, iyo, waxaana la qafaashay markii kii dambe uu ku xirmay dekedda Tripoli 31kii Oktoobar, 1803. Kadib markii la sii daayay Juun 3, 1805, wuxuu ku sii jiray badda Mediterranean-ka isagoo ahaa kabtanka ku meel gaarka ah iyo kabtanka dambe ee "Enterprise".