CIVIL WAR INDEX
Primary Source Material
on the Soldiers and the Battles
Home The Armies The Soldiers The Battles Civilians Articles
 
If this website has been useful to you, please consider making a Donation.

Your support will help keep this website free for everyone, and will allow us to do more research. Thank you for your support!

Civil War Soldiers - Potter

Potter, Edward E., brigadier-general, U.S. Army, was born in New York city, June 21, 1823. He was graduated at Columbia college in 1842, studied law, then spent some time in California, and after his return to the east devoted his attention to farming in New Jersey. He was appointed captain and commissary of subsistence in the volunteer army, Feb. 3, 1862, served in North Carolina, and while there recruited the 1st N. C. volunteers, of which he was commissioned colonel on Oct. 1. He served in North and South Carolina and East Tennessee, being commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers, and on March 13, 1865, was brevetted major- general of volunteers for gallant and meritorious services during the war. He resigned, July 24, 1865, and after the war resided in Madison, N. J. He died in New York city, June 1, 1889.

Source: The Union Army: A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal States 1861-1865, Volume 8 Biographical, 1908
 

Potter, Joseph H., brigadier-general, U.S. Army, was born in Concord, N. H., Oct. 12, 1822. He was graduated at the United States military academy in 1843 and served in the military occupation of Texas and the Mexican war. He was engaged in the defense of Fort Brown, and for gallantry at Monterey, where he was severely injured while storming the enemy's works, he was brevetted 1st lieutenant. He was promoted 1st lieutenant in 1847 and captain in 1856, serving until the latter year on garrison duty, and taking part subsequently in the Utah expedition. He was on duty in Texas at the beginning of the Civil war and was captured by Confederates at San Augustine Springs, July 27, 1861, not being exchanged until Aug. 27, 1862. He was appointed colonel of the 12th N. H. volunteers on Sept. 22, and engaged in the Maryland and Rappahannock campaigns, commanding a brigade at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. He was severely wounded at Chancellorsville, and captured, and was held as a prisoner of war until October, 1863. He was promoted major and transferred to the 19th infantry, July 4, 1863, was brevetted lieutenant-colonel for gallantry at Fredericksburg and colonel for services at Chancellorsville, and after returning to duty was on special duty for five months and then provost-marshal of Ohio until Sept., 1864. He was then assigned to a brigade in the 18th corps of the Army of the James, which he commanded at the assault on Fort Harrison. From Dec. 1864, to Jan., 1865, he commanded a brigade in the 24th army corps, and was then chief-of- staff of that corps, being engaged in the attack on Hatcher's run and the subsequent operations until the surrender of Lee. He was brevetted brigadier-general in the regular army, March 13, 1865, for gallant and meritorious services in the final campaign, was commissioned brigadier-general in the volunteer army, May 1, 1865, and was mustered out of the volunteer service, Jan. 15, 1866. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel in the 30th infantry, July 28, 1866, colonel in the 24th infantry, Dec. 11, 1873, and brigadier-general, April 1, 1886. After the war he commanded various posts and districts, was governor of the Soldiers' Home, Washington, D. C., 1877-81, and commanded the Department of the Missouri from April to Oct. 12, 1886, when he was retired from active service. Gen. Potter died in Columbus, Ohio, Dec. 1, 1892.

Source: The Union Army: A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal States 1861-1865, Volume 8 Biographical, 1908
 

Potter, Robert B., major-general, U.S. Army, was born in Schenectady, N. Y., July 16, 1829. He entered Union college in the class of 1849 but did not graduate, studied law, and at the time of the outbreak of the Civil war enjoyed a lucrative practice in New York city. He was appointed major of the 51st N. Y. infantry, Oct. 14, 1861, and was promoted lieutenant- colonel on Nov. 1 and colonel Sept. 10, 1862. He took part in Burnside's expedition to North Carolina, led the assault at Roanoke island, was wounded at New Berne, and he subsequently participated in the battles of Cedar mountain, Manassas or second Bull Run, Chantilly, Antietam, where he took part in the assault on the stone bridge and was wounded, and Fredericksburg. He was promoted brigadier-general of volunteers, March 13, 1863; commanded a division at Vicksburg and in the siege of Knoxville; was brevetted major-general of volunteers, Aug. 1, 1864, commanded his division in the Wilderness campaign, and was severely wounded during the final assault on Petersburg, April 2, 1865. On his recovery he was given command of the Rhode Island and Connecticut district of the Department of the East. He was married, Sept. 20, 1865, to Abby, daughter of John Austin Stevens, and on his wedding day was given his commission as full major-general of volunteers. He was honorably mustered out of the volunteer service, Jan. 15, 1866, and was then for three years receiver of the Atlantic & Great Western railroad. He died in Newport, R. I., Feb. 19, 1887.

Source: The Union Army: A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal States 1861-1865, Volume 8 Biographical, 1908
 


Whats New
Bibliography
About Us

Copyright 2010 by CivilWarIndex.com
A Division of Pier-Pleasure.com