John Carpenter Carter (December 19, 1837 – December 10, 1864) was an American lawyer who became brigadier general of the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the Military forces of the Confederate States, military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) duri ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

, and died of wounds received at the Battle of Franklin, Tennessee.

Early life, education and legal career

Carter was born in Waynesboro, Georgia, on December 19, 1837, to Angelina Carter and her husband, Dr. Edward J. Carter (1814–1869). By 1850, his elder brother Isiah had died, so John was the family's eldest son, with three younger sisters, although another brother Alexander would survive his parents. His father owned 52 slaves in 1850: 25 males and 27 females.1850 U.S. Federal Census, Slave Schedule for Waynesboro, Burke County, Georgia p. 2 of 7 on ancestry.com Carter attended the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson and contains his The Lawn, Academical Village, a World H ...

from 1854 to 1856, then studied law under Judge Abram Carruthers at

Cumberland University Cumberland University is a private university in Lebanon, Tennessee, United States. It was founded in 1842. The oldest campus buildings were constructed between 1892 and 1896. History 1842–1861 The university was founded by the Cumberl ...

Lebanon, Tennessee Lebanon ( ) is the county seat of Wilson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 38,431 at the 2020 census. Lebanon is located in Middle Tennessee, approximately east of downtown Nashville. Lebanon is part of the Nashville Metro ...

. He became an instructor at the school after graduating, and married the judge's daughter. He was practicing law in

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Tenne ...

, when the Civil War began.

Civil War service

Carter entered the war as a captain in the

38th Tennessee Infantry Regiment The 38th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry was an infantry regiment from Tennessee that served with the Confederate States Army in the American Civil War. Notable battles that the regiment has fought in include Shiloh and Chickamauga. See also *List o ...

and quickly became its colonel. He commanded the regiment during the

Battle of Shiloh The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the American Civil War fought on April 6–7, 1862. The fighting took place in southwestern Tennessee, which was part of the war's Western Theater of the ...

Battle of Perryville The Battle of Perryville, also known as the Battle of Chaplin Hills, was fought on October 8, 1862, in the Chaplin Hills west of Perryville, Kentucky, as the culmination of the Confederate Heartland Offensive (Kentucky Campaign) during the Ame ...

Battle of Stones River The Battle of Stones River, also known as the Second Battle of Murfreesboro, was fought from December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863, in Middle Tennessee, as the culmination of the Stones River Campaign in the Western Theater of the American Ci ...

Battle of Chickamauga The Battle of Chickamauga, fought on September 18–20, 1863, between the United States Army and Confederate States Army, Confederate forces in the American Civil War, marked the end of a U.S. Army offensive, the Chickamauga Campaign, in southe ...

and Atlanta Campaign. Carter was promoted to brigadier general to rank from July 7, 1864. He temporarily commanded a division at the

Battle of Jonesboro The Battle of Jonesborough (August 31–September 1, 1864) was fought between Union Army forces led by William Tecumseh Sherman and Confederate States of America, Confederate forces under William J. Hardee during the Atlanta Campaign in the Am ...

. Carter was mortally wounded during the

Battle of Franklin The Battle of Franklin was fought on November 30, 1864, in Franklin, Tennessee, as part of the Franklin–Nashville Campaign of the American Civil War. It was one of the worst disasters of the war for the Confederate States Army. Confederate L ...

on November 30, 1864, and died December 10 in the Harrison home, south of the battlefield.

Aftermath

Carter was buried at Rose Hill Cemetery, Columbia, Tennessee. The Brigadier General John Carpenter Carter Camp 207, Sons of Confederate Veterans in Waynesboro, Georgia, is named for Carter.

Notes

References

* Eicher, John H., and

David J. Eicher David John Eicher (born August 7, 1961) is an American editor, writer, and popularizer of astronomy and space. He has been editor-in-chief of ''Astronomy'' magazine since 2002. He is author, coauthor, or editor of 23 books on science and American ...

, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . * Sifakis, Stewart. ''Who Was Who in the Civil War.'' New York: Facts On File, 1988. . * Warner, Ezra J. ''Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders.'' Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. .

External links

*
Photo of John C Carter Winstead Hill Monument
1837 births 1864 deaths People from Waynesboro, Georgia University of Tennessee alumni Confederate States Army generals {{AmericanCivilWar-bio-stub