This special Liberty Minute was presented as part of Huntington's celebration of 250 years of American independence on June 16, 2026. The segment highlighted the patriotic service of Dr. Gilbert Potter, a local Patriot leader during the Revolutionary War.
Welcome to this Liberty Minute, part of Huntington's celebration of 250 years of American independence. Gilbert Potter was a doctor who had served in King George's War and the French and Indian War. Later, he was one of the Patriot leaders in Huntington. In 1775, he was elected Lieutenant Colonel of the Western Regiment of the Suffolk Militia. Later that year, he lamented the lack of readiness in Huntington for war. He concluded a report to the New York Provincial Congress with the declaration: As to myself, I am determined to live and die free. After the Battle of Long Island, Potter fled to Connecticut, but reportedly returned to Huntington to gather information on activities of British forces occupying the town. His wife Elizabeth continued his medical practice in his absence. Thanks to the sacrifices of generations of Huntington Patriots, liberty endures.