Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1896-11-19

LAID TO REST.
All That was Mortal of Col. William e.
Potter Laid in the Tomb.

o
Potter Laid in the Tomb.
"Ashes to ashes; dust to dust" All !
that was mortal of the late Col. William
e. Potter was consigned to the tomb last
Thursday afternoon.
The funeral services took place from
his late residence, on Broad street, and
was largely attended by members of the
bar, members of Alex. Robson Post, AZ,
G. A. r and friends. Aside from all the
members of the bar in this city, were
Judge Alfred Reed, of the Supreme
Court, of Trenton; ex-Judge Howard
eCarrow, of Camden; ex-Judge Pancoast,
of Camden; Judge Sinnickson, of Salem,
and lifelong friend, Sinnickson Chew,
ofthe Camden Press.
The services at the house were con-
Quoted by Revs. W. J. Bridges and S. w.
Beach.
Rev. Sylvester w. Beach spoke as fol-
lows:
AS much as there is in heredity, so
much had Col. Potter the advantage of
the average man. His environment was
not less propitious. The training of
cultured home, and the discipline of the
best schools united in completing his
equipment for distinguished career. An
education begun in the bosom of an in
telligent Christian home, continued
in West Jersey Academy and completed
in Harvard University and Princeton,
made resultant of development that but
few of even college bred men attain, A
thorough English, classical and legal
training made Col. Potter man of broad
education; and furnished him the true
culture of profound and accurate
scholarship.
Prepared thus for distinction in profess
sional and civic life, Providence provided
another and very different discipline
which was destined to determine, in great
degree, his future. The Civil War broke
out about the time that he would have
entered upon the practice of law. With
in the Revolution of l776, and with ma
ture permeated with patriotism, Col. Pot
ter was impelled by holy enthusiasm to
consecrate himself to the sacred cause of
| the Union. Abandoning whatever
dreams and ambitions he may previously
have had, he enlisted in Company X. 18th
N. j. Regiment Volunteers. His gall
| lantry, discipline and executive ability
were soon recognized, and he was by
/ rapid promotions commissioned in tu1 n
as second lieutenant, first lieutenant and
captain. He served as ordnance officer of
the Third Division, Second Army Corps
and acted as such in the battles of Chan
| cellorsville and Gettysburg on the staff of
! Major-General VIM. H, French and
Brigadier General Alexander Hays. He
was afterward appointed Judge Advocate
| on the staff of General Hays. On July l,
| 1864, he was detailed as aide de camp to
Col. Thomas A. Smyth, and in August of
| the same year he was made Judge Advo-
cate on the staff of Major General John
| Gibbon. He remained in this position
| till mustered out of service at the close of
the war. In 1865 he was breveted Major
of U. S. Volunteers iE acknowledgment
of distinguished services. Col. Potter
was present in no loss than nineteen en-
gagements, and was once wounded. He
witnessed General Lees surrender at APP
pomattox Court House, and by orders
| from Headquarters Oath Army Corps, he
| was one of five honored officers detailed
| to deliver the Colors of tho Rebel Army
| surrendered by Lee, to Hon. Edwin NJ
| Stanton, Secretary of War. In 1866 he
| was commissioned aide-de-camp to Hon.
| Marcus L. Ward, Governor of New Jer-
sey, with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel,
| upon whose staff be served for three
! years.
The war over, the country saved, Col.
Potter settled down to the practice of law
in Bridgeton, forming soon after part
| nership with j. Boyd Nixon, firm
which stood at the head of the profession
| in South Jersey for almost quarter CEN
| tury. Col. Potter's interest in the war
never abated during these years of civil
| life, but by laborious investigation he be-
came an authority upon that stirring
! period of American History. From time
to time he was called upon to address his
| comrades on the great occasions of their
reunions, and his marvellous mastery of
the details of the various campaigns, and
his quiet, yet fervid eloquence thrilled
| the hearts of all who heard him.
His great Grafton at the unveiling of
his Regiments monument, at Gettys-
| burg, is in itself enough to substantiate
his fame as an orator. Though not a
politician, in the ordinary acceptance of
the term, he was forced into some prom
inence in the counsels of his party. He
was delegate to the National Convention,
at Chicago, in 1865, and to the convention
which nominated Hayes in 1876. He was
| an elector from this State on the Garfield
ticket in 1880. He was elected an honor
ary member of the famous Society of the
Cincinnati of. New Jersey in 1874, and
was president of the Union Officers AS
sociation in 1880.
Thus hastily reviewing this period of
Col. Potter's life, it is evident that his
10 m r aI a