Fontaine was born on October 10, 1829, in Washington County, Texas, near Gay Hill.

[1] At the age of 10, Fontaine ran away from school in Austin and was captured by the Comanche; he was released four years later.

[2] Fontaine joined the United States Navy and served in the Mexican–American War of 1846–1848, including the Siege of Veracruz.

[3] He explored the Amazon River with William Lewis Herndon as well as Israel (then known as Palestine), where he helped draw maps.

[1] He traveled to Japan with Matthew C. Perry, and he "was instrumental in ridding the seas of the Malay pirates.

[5][6] His autobiography states that he was responsible for sinking the famed cannon "Whistling Dick" in the Mississippi River to prevent it falling into Union hands.

[9] He composed poems, like Oenore, Only a Soldier or Dying Prisoner in Camp Chase, and claimed to have written "All Quiet Along the Potomac Tonight".