Frederik Jacobus Potgieter

F.J. Potgieter, portrait from A.E., Onze Krijgs-officieren, Pretoria 1904.

Frederik Jacobus Potgieter (Haartebeesfontein, Rustenburg, South African Republic, 22 April 1858 – Krugersdorp, West Rand, Gauteng, 7 June 1924) was a Boer commander in the Second Boer War (1899 – 1902). He is also referred to as Frederik Johannes Potgieter.

Family Potgieter was the fourth son of Hermanus Philippus Potgieter (Cradock, Eastern Cape, in the Stormberg District, Eastern Cape, South Africa, 12 June 1822 – Tweerivieren, Rustenburg, Bojanala, North West, South Africa, 14 July 1897) and Jannetje Lavina Catharina Francina Kruger (Vioolsberg, Colesberg, Bo-Karoo, Northern Cape, South Africa, 7 July 1823 – Rustenberg, Transvaal Republic, South Africa, 29 September 1873), who had eight sons and three daughters.

Frederik Jacobus's elder brother Gert Johannes (1849 – 1881) died at Amajuba, Natal in the Battle of Laing's Nek on 28 January 1881 during the First Boer War. Their widowed father married a second time, to Hester Maria Christina Janse van Rensburg (1853 – 1914). Afterwards Potgieter fought in the Malaboch War. After the outbreak of the Second Boer War in October 1899, Potgieter and his command joined general Lucas Johannes Meyer at Zandspruit, and were present in subsequent battles against the British troops. during the two-week Battle of the Tugela Heights (14–27 February 1900, Afrikaans: Slag van Pietershoogte), and was inactived for eight months. After the death of general Sarel Oosthuizen J. L. van de Merwe acted as Commander (veldkornet) of the Krugersdorpers, who consulted Potgieter who although wounded remained with his troops.

In August 1900 Potgieter resumed his duties and served as a Commander on the western front under general Koos de la Rey, and in June 1901 he was appointed Landdrost (governor) of Krugersdorp District. In February 1902 he was finally captured by the British together with Commander Sarel Francois Alberts in Lichtenburg district: he was sent out as a prisoner of war to the island of Saint Helena, from where he was liberated after the Peace of Vereeniging.