Class of 1843

Joseph Haydn Potter: Born Oct. 12, 1822, Concord, NH.

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., 1st 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., 7th 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 Lieut., 7th 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, 7th Infantry, Nov. 16, 1853, to Jan. 9, 1856; on frontier duty at Ft. Gibson,

(Captain, 7th 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.,  p179 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

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

Maryland 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, 19th 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

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

was 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, 18th 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 24th Army Corps, Dec. 2, 1864, to Jan. 16, 1865; as Chief of Staff of 24th 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. 15, 1866.

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

(Lieut.‑Col., 30th 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 4th 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, 24th 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, — and 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  p180 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.

Buried, Green Lawn Cemetery, Columbus, OH.