OBITUARIES, AMERICAN. 



York succeeded the Onderdonk brothers, 

 after each of the latter had been suspended 

 from their sacred offices. In 1867 and again 

 in 1877, Bishop Potter attended the Lambeth 

 Palace conferences in England, and during his 

 episcopate he welcomed several English bishops 

 and clergymen to the diocesan conventions of 

 New York. On Nov. 29, 1879, a notable re- 

 ception was held at the Academy of Music, 

 New York city, for the purpose of presenting 

 to Bishop Potter a testimonial commemorative 

 of the completion of twenty-five years of his 

 episcopate. The testimonial took the form of 

 a casket modeled after the ancient Ark of the 

 Covenant, and was composed of gold, silver, 

 and steel, exquisitely chased and inlaid. The 

 following inscription appeared on the base : 

 "To the Right Reverend Horatio Potter, D. D., 

 LL. D., D. 0. L., Bishop of New York, from 

 his diocese, with love and gratitude for twenty- 

 five years of faithful service." In 1883 the 

 cares of his office bore so heavily upon his 

 failing strength that he felt constrained to ask 

 relief, and the annual convention elected his 

 choice, his nephew Rev. Dr. Henry 0. Potter, 

 as assistant bishop, with practically full epis- 

 copal authority. Bishop Potter received the 

 degree of D. D. from Trinity College, Hart- 

 ford, Conn., in 1838; that of LL. D. from Ho- 

 bart College, Geneva, N. Y., in 1856 ; and that 

 of D. 0. L. from the University of Oxford, 

 England, in 1860. During his episcopate he 

 saw the church in New York multiply from 

 two dioceses to five, those of Long Island, 

 Albany, and Central New York being erected 

 after his consecration. From 1854 till 1881 

 he performed 78,092 confirmations and over 

 150,000 baptisms (of which number 18,353 

 were adults); consecrated 117 churches and 

 laid more than 100 ccrner-stones ; ordered 450 

 deacons, ordained 364 priests, and instituted 

 47 rectors; received 614 clergymen into the 

 diocese and transferred 633 to other stations. 

 His published writings, which are very numer- 

 ous, consist chietly of sermons, pastoral letters, 

 and addresses on special occasions. 



Potter, Robert B., an American soldier, born 

 in Boston, Mass., in 1829 ; died in Newport, 

 R. I., Feb. 19, 1887. He was a son of the Right 

 Rev. Alonzo Potter, bishop of the Protestant 

 Episcopal diocese of Pennsylvania, and brother 

 of the Right Rev. Henry C. Potter, the present 

 bishop of the diocese of New York. He was 

 graduated at Union College, studied law, and 

 established himself in chamber practice. On 

 the organization of the Fifty-first Regiment of 

 New York Volunteers he was commissioned 

 its lieutenant-colonel, and was shortly after- 

 ward attached to Gen. Burnside's army, his 

 regiment being brigaded under Gen. Reno. At 

 Roanoke Island, he led three companies to the 

 assault of the batteries, and was the first to 

 enter the Confederate works. At New Berne 

 he stormed the intrenchments on the left of 

 the lines, receiving a bullet in the groin. His 

 regiment next served under Gen. McClellan, 



and soon afterward under Gen. Pope in the 

 second Bull Run campaign, and under his 

 command broke the enemy's line that was ad- 

 vancing on Pope's retreating army. At South 

 Mountain, and again at Antietara, Col. Potter 

 displayed high soldierly instincts. Seizing the 

 flag of his regiment, he headed a dash over 

 the bridge, secured a desired position, and, as 

 Gen. McClellan declared, saved the day. He 

 was again wounded in this action. After that 

 campaign the regiment was detailed to Gen. 

 Burnside's army, Col. Potter being given an 

 independent command by order of Gen. Grant. 

 He took part in the siege of Knoxville, and 

 with his division checked the advance of Long- 

 street, who was hastening to the relief of the 

 besieged. In the Wilderness campaign he was 

 often under fire, and in the assault after the ex- 

 plosion of the mine at Petersburg was wound- 

 ed a third time and severely. He had matured 

 plans for destroying the bridge over Appoinat- 

 tox river, with a view of preventing a retreat 

 of the Confederates, and had just mounted his 

 horse in front of Fort Sedgwick to lead his 

 division, when he was struck by a ball. In 

 his " Memoirs," alluding to this assault, Gen. 

 Grant says : " In fact, Potter and Wilson were 

 the only division commanders Burnside had 

 who were equal to the occasion." After the 

 war he was assigned to the command of the 

 Connecticut and Rhode Island Division of the 

 Military Department of the East, with head- 

 quarters in Newport. In 1865 he was com- 

 missioned a major-general of volunteers, and 

 in the following year appointed colonel of the 

 Forty-first United States Infantry (colored), 

 but never assumed the command. 



Powell, Thomas, an American journalist, born 

 in London, England, in 1809 ; died in Newark, 

 N. J., Jan. 14, 1887. Early in life he studied 

 law, but soon abandoned the idea of becoming 

 a barrister, and allowed his pen and fancies free 

 sway. He was equally happy in prose and 

 verse, and, besides editing the "Lantern " and 

 managing the " Figaro," in London, published 

 twenty-seven volumes, including " Lives of 

 English Authors " and " Lives of American 

 Authors." In 1849 he came to the United 

 States with Frank Leslie, and made a business 

 connection with him. He was the first editor 

 of "Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper," and 

 a frequent contributor to all Mr. Leslie's publi- 

 cations. For a year before his death he had 

 devoted himself to the preparation of a series 

 of sketches of the large number of literary and 

 dramatic persons he had known intimately, and 

 several of these, " Leaves from My Life," ap- 

 peared in "Frank Leslie's Sunday Magazine.'' 



Pratt, Daniel, an American adventurer, born 

 in Chelsea, Mass., in 1809; died in Boston, 

 Mass., June 20, 1887. He was apprenticed to 

 the carpenter's trade, and followed it for some 

 years, but disappeared suddenly and was not 

 seen at home again for ten or twelve years. 

 When he returned, his mind was unbalanced, 

 and from that time he led a wandering life, be- 



