The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1870-07-22
General b. F. Potts, Governor Of
Montana
From the Herald. July IL

WOUt000.
From the Herald, July IL
General BENJAMIN F. Potts was horn IN
received good English education in The
public schools of his native county. and
when seventeen years old entered ihe dry
goods store of Charles Boies, vt Wattsyills.
Ohio, SO clerk. In about year he left the
store and entered Westminster College, al
New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. liz re-.
mained at college during 1S54-5, but his
funds becoming exhausted, he returned to
Ohio. and engaged in teaching school and
reading law. Although only twenty years
of age he tOOk an active part In the political
contest of 1856, and addressed numerous
meetings in favor of Mr.. Buchanan and the
Democratic party. In September, 1857, he
entered the law Office of E. Il. Ecklcy, Car
rolltOn, Ohio, Gate C0lOnel of the 18th Ohio
infantry, and afterwards member of Con.
gress frDm the 18th District where he re-
maines', dsvoting. his whole time to tho
admitted to the bar by . full bench of the
District Court at Canton. He Immediately
opened law Office in his native county .and
by energy and application, soon obtained q
good practice. In November. 1853, he was
elected delegate to the Charleston conycn.
ton; was present at Charleston and Balti
more, and voted first and last for Stephen
A. Douglas Upon the fall Of Sumter. the
Douglas Democrat, following the example
of his political leader, declared for his coun.
try, advocated vigorous war measures raised
company and entered the 32d Ohio. He
was mustered a. Captain on August 20. 1861;
served with the regiment in West Virginia,
and was present ut Cheat Mountain and
Greenbrier. He was engaged il, scouting
with his company during q portion of the
winter Of 1862. ana in the spring Of 1862
accompanied the regiment in the advance
under General MilrOy. and was engaged in
the battles with Mcdowell and Franklin
In July. 1852, Captain Potts was detached
with his company. and was placed in charge
Of battery Of light artillery, stationed q.
Winchester until the evacuation Of that
place in September. 1862. when he fell back
with the army to Harper's Ferry: For gal
liant conduct during the siege of Harper's
Ferry, tho company was transferred by or.
Ger of the War Department, to the artillery
arm of the service. and was Afterwards
known as the 26,h Ohio Battery. In August
1863, Capt Potts was appointed Lieutenant
Colonel Of the 126th Ohio Infantry, but de.
clincd t" leave his company in the face of
the enemy; was captured at Harper's Ferry
Sept. 10, 1862, afterwards parOled and sent
to Camp Douglas, near Chicago. On the
goth of December, he was commissioned
Lieut.. Col. of the regiment. and on the 25.h
of the same month as full Colonel He soon
after left Cleveland with his command, and
reported To Gen. Grant at Memphis, Tenn.
At Port Gibson. he was cUmplimented for
gallantry by Gen. j. D. Stevenson, and at
Raymond, Jackson and Champion Hills, he
received the thanks Of Gen. Logan He was
at the front during the entire siege of Vicks-
burg, and was in command of the skirmish
line the day Generals Grant and Pembert0n
the surrender. In August, Col.
Potts was assigned to the command of the
Third Brigade, Third Division, 10th army
corps. On Gen. Shcr:daa's Meridian cxpe.
ed'hs-N1fsr1 r1lidf dfcT9ss. Reksr.s . crssk' @ e IHSte
them into jackson. On the 10th of July,
Col Potts was assigned to the command of
the First Brigade, 18th army corps; partici-
pated IN the hattie near Atlanta, on the Goth
plimcnted by Gems. Blair and Smith in their
official reports, and Gen. Giles A. Smith,
the Fourth Division, said in
a private letter: Colonel Potts did more
ON the 22d Of July. 1854, to save the good
name of the army Of the Tennessee, than
any other man." On the 10th of December
he commanded the advance brigade of SI,er-
mans army, drove the enemy into the works
around Savannah, and cut the Savannah
and Charleston railroad. Col. Potts had
been recommended repeatedly for promo
ton, and ut this place he received his mp.
pointment a. Brigadier General of volun.
teers. Ho accompanied Shermap's army
through the Care clinas, was present at the
capture Of Orangeburg and Columbia. and
with his brigade was the first tO enter Fay
ettcvillc, after the surrender of the rebel
force, he moved with the army to Washing
ton City, and led his command in the grand
review. Gen. Potts command was muster
cd out the service on the c2d Of July, and
he was ordered to proceed to his home and
report by letter to the Adjutant General of
the army. He was discharged from service
July Is. 1855, and since that time has been
engaged IN the practice Of the law at Cur
rOlton, Ohio.
General Potts is full six feet and one inch
in height, weighs 23O pounds, and possesses
wonderful muscular strength and great en-.
crgy. Sherman said to General Potts, at
Richmond, that he wished to show him to
the Foreign Ministers, at Washington City,
as evidence that he had not starved his army
while campaigning In the South; and he NC
tually did point out General Potts ut the
head Of his brigade, on review, in front of
the Presidential mansion, as his " Sample
Vandal." .....'.
The Stone FACE IN THE DEsERT.-In
the mountain around which we had passed
on the last days journey from Gila Bend is
to he seen, plainly and distinctly, the face
of y man, reclining. with his eyes closed as
in sleep. Among the most beautiful Of all
the legends told here 10 that concerning this
face. 1t is Montezuma's face, SO the Indi.
ans believe (even those in Mexico who have
never seen the image.) and he will awaken
from his long sleep at some future day, will
gather oil of the brave and faithful around
him, raise and uplift his dowu-trodden
people, and restore 70 his kingdom tho old
power and the glory-as It was. before the
Hidalgos invaded it. So strong is this be.
lief in some parts Of Mexico, that people
who passed through that country years ago,
tell me Of some localities where fires were
kent constnntlY burning. In anticiDatiOn Of