Joseph H. Potter

1188…….(Born N. H.) Joseph H. Potter (Ap’d N. H.)……22

Military History. – Cadet at the Military Academy, July 1, 1839, to July 1, 1843, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to

Bvt. Second Lieut., 1^st Infantry, July 1, 1843.

Served: in garrison at Ft. Des Moines, Io., 1843-45, -- and Jefferson Barracks, Mo., 1845; in Military Occupation of Texas, 1845-46; in the

(Second Lieut., 7^th Infantry, Oct. 21, 1845)

War with Mexico, 1846, being engaged in the defense of Ft. Brown, May 3-9, 1846, -- and Battle of Monterey, Sep. 21-22, 1846, where he

(Bvt. First Lieut., Sep. 23, 1846, for Gallant and Meritorious Services in the Battle of Monterey, Mex.)

Was severely wounded in storming the enemy’s works; on Recruiting service, 1846-48; in the War with Mexico, 1848; in garrison at Jefferson

(First Liuet., 7^th Infantry, Oct. 30, 1847)

Barracks, Mo., 1848; on Recruiting service, 1848-50; in garrison at Jefferson Barracks, Mo., 1850; on frontier duty at Ft. Gibson, I. T., 1851-52, 1852-53, -- Ft. Smith, Ark., 1853-55; as Adjutant, 7^th Infantry, Nov. 16, 1853, to Jan. 9, 1856; on frontier duty at Ft. Gibson,

(Captain, 7^th Infantry, Jan. 9, 1856)

I.T., 1855-56, -- Ft. Smith, Ark., 1856, -- Ft. Arbuckle, I. T., 1856-57, -- and Ft. Smith, Ark., 1858; in garrison at Jefferson Barracks, Mo., 1858; on frontier duty in Utah Expedition, 1858-60, -- March to new Mexico, 1860, -- and Ft. Webster, N. M., 1860; on Court Martial duty at Ft. Bliss, Tex., 1860-61; on frontier duty at Ft. McLane, N. M., 1861; and was captured by Texas insurgents at San Augustine Springs, Tex., July 27, 1861, and not exchanged till Aug. 27, 1862.

Served during the Rebellion of the Seceding States, 1862-66: in the Maryland

(Colonel, 12^th N. H. Volunteers, Sep. 27, 1862)

Campaign (Army of the Potomac), Oct.-Nov., 1862, being engaged in the March to Falmouth, Va., Oct.-Nov., 1862; in the Rappahannock Campaign (Army of the Potomac), Dec., 1862, to May, 1863,

(Major, 19^th Infantry, July 4, 1863)

being engaged in the Battle of Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1863, commanding

(Bvt. Lieut.-Col., Dec. 13, 1863, for Gallant and Meritorious Services

at the Battle of Fredericksburg, Va.)

brigade, -- and Battle of Chancellorsville, Va., May 2-3, where he was

(Bvt. Colonel, May 3, 1863, for Gallant and Meritorious Services at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Va.)

severely wounded and captured; as Prisoner of War, May 3 to Oct., 1863 (paroled, May 17, 1863); on Special duty, Oct. 18, 1863, to Feb., 1864; as Asst. Provost Marshal General of Ohio, Feb. to Sep., 1864; in command of Brigade, 18^th Corps (Army of the James), Sep. 16, to Dec. 2, 1864, being in command of the Bermuda Hundred Front, during the Attack by the Army on Ft. Harrison, Sep. 29, 1864; in command of Brigade of 24^th Army Corps, Dec. 2, 1864, to Jan. 16, 1865; as Chief of Staff of 24^th Army Corps, Jan. 16 to July 10, 1865, being

(Bvt. Brig.-General, U. S. Army, Mar. 13, 1865, for Gallant and Meritorious Services in

Campaign Terminating with the Surrender of the Insurgent Army Under General R. E. Lee)

Engaged in the Attack on the Rebel lines at Hatcher’s Run, and south of Petersburg, Apr. 2, 1865, -- and Pursuit of the Rebel Army, with several Skirmishes, terminating with the Capitulation of General Lee at

(Brig.-General, U. S. Volunteers, May 1, 1865)

Appomattox, C. H., Apr. 9, 1865; awaiting orders, July 10, 1865, to Jan. 15, 1866.

Served: as Superintendent of Regimental recruiting Service, at Newport

Mustered Out of Volunteer Service, Jan. 1 5, 1866.

Barracks, Ky., Feb. 3, 1866, to Jan. 4, 1867; in command of Regiment

(Lieut.-Col., 30^th Infantry, July 28, 1866)

in the Department of the Platte, Jan. 15 to May 4, 1867, -- of Ft. Sedgwick, Col., May 6, 1867, to June, 1868, -- and of Ft. Sanders, Wy., to Sep. 5, 1869; as Member of Board to test the System of Cavalry,

(Transferred to 4^th infantry, Mar. 15, 1869)

Artillery, and Infantry Tactics, to Nov. 21, 1870; in command of Ft. Sanders, Wy., Nov. 23, 1870, to mar. 24, 1871, -- of Lebanon, Ky., Apr. 18, 1871, to Dec. 1872, -- of Little Rock, Ark., Dec. 21, 1872, to Mar., 1873, continuing on duty there till May 7, 1873, -- and of Ft. Sanders, Wy., May 12, 1873, to May 22, 1874; on leave of absence,

(Colonel, 24^th Infantry, Dec. 11, 1873)

May 22 to Nov. 27, 1874; in command of regiment and Ft. Brown, Tex., Nov. 27, 1874, to Apr. 29, 1876, -- of the District of the Rio Grande, June 29, 1875, to Apr. 29, 1876; as Member of Board to purchase horses, May-June, 1876; as Governor of the Soldiers’ Home, near Washington, D. C., July 1, 1877, to July 1, 1881; on delay to Sep., 1881; in command of regiment at Ft. Supply, I. T., to Apr. 1, 1886;

(Brig.-General, U. S. Army, Apr. 1, 1886)

and in command of the Department of the Missouri, to oct. 12, 1886.

Retired from Active Service, Oct. 12, 1886, He Being 64 Years of Age.