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General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...
Thomas Carleton (c. 1735 – 2 February 1817) was an Irish-born
British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
officer who was promoted to
colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
during the
American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
after relieving the siege of Quebec in 1776. After the war, he was appointed as Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick, and supervised the resettlement of Loyalists from the United States in the province. He held this position until his death, although he was absent in England for the last fourteen years of his tenure, refusing orders to return in a dispute about seniority.


Early life and education

Born in
Strabane Strabane ( ; ) is a town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Strabane had a population of 13,172 at the 2011 Census. It lies on the east bank of the River Foyle. It is roughly midway from Omagh, Derry and Letterkenny. The River Foyle marks ...
,
County Tyrone County Tyrone (; ) is one of the six Counties of Northern Ireland, counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the thirty-two traditional Counties of Ireland, counties of Ireland. It is no longer used as an admini ...
, in
Ulster Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United King ...
,
Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, to Christoper Carleton and his wife Catherine Ball, he was the younger brother of The 1st Baron Dorchester. As part of a military family, Thomas joined the
British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
at a young age.


Military career

In 1753, he was an
ensign An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...
in the 20th Regiment of Foot and saw action with his regiment during the
Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754 ...
. After the conclusion of the
Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754 ...
, Thomas Carleton served as an observer during the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774. In 1776 during the
American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
, as a lieutenant colonel, he arrived in
Quebec City Quebec City ( or ; french: Ville de Québec), officially Québec (), is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Communauté métrop ...
with forces to relieve his brother,
Sir Guy Carleton Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester (3 September 1724 – 10 November 1808), known between 1776 and 1786 as Sir Guy Carleton, was an Anglo-Irish soldier and administrator. He twice served as Governor of the Province of Quebec, from 1768 to 17 ...
, the
Governor General of Canada The governor general of Canada (french: gouverneure générale du Canada) is the federal viceregal representative of the . The is head of state of Canada and the 14 other Commonwealth realms, but resides in oldest and most populous realm, t ...
, who was besieged in the city by
Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...
troops. With the death of Lt. Col. Patrick Gordon on July 25, 1776, Col. Carleton was promoted to command the 29th Regiment of Foot. In 1777, Thomas Carleton's nephew
Christopher Carleton Lt.-Colonel Christopher Carleton (1749–1787) was born into an Ulster military family in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England. Christopher's parents died at sea when he was only four years old and his uncles, Guy Carleton (later created The 1st Baron ...
joined the 29th regiment as a major and served under his uncle's command for the rest of the war. Col. Thomas Carleton did not get along well with his new commander,
Frederick Haldimand Sir Frederick Haldimand, KB (11 August 1718 – 5 June 1791) was a military officer best known for his service in the British Army in North America during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. From 1778 to 1786, he serve ...
, who replaced Guy Carleton in 1778 as Governor General of Canada. He refused when in 1782 Haldimand demanded that he resign his position as quartermaster general before his planned departure for New York, where his brother Guy had replaced the disgraced Henry Clinton. Thomas Carleton returned to
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
where he lodged with
Lord Shelburne William Petty Fitzmaurice, 1st Marquess of Lansdowne, (2 May 17377 May 1805; known as the Earl of Shelburne between 1761 and 1784, by which title he is generally known to history), was an Irish-born British Whig statesman who was the first ...
, who at the time was
First Lord of the Treasury The first lord of the Treasury is the head of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury exercising the ancient office of Lord High Treasurer in the United Kingdom, and is by convention also the prime minister. This office is not equivalent to the ...
and
Leader of the House of Lords The leader of the House of Lords is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Lords. The post is also the leader of the majority party in the House of Lords who acts as ...
.


Political career

In summer 1784, with the administration of Government safely under Shelburne's colleague
Pitt the Younger William Pitt the Younger (28 May 175923 January 1806) was a British statesman, the youngest and last prime minister of Great Britain (before the Acts of Union 1800) and then first prime minister of the United Kingdom (of Great Britain and Ire ...
, Col. Thomas Carleton was appointed as the first Lieutenant-Governor of
New Brunswick New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...
. Here, he helped to re-settle the many
Loyalist Loyalism, in the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and its former colonies, refers to the allegiance to the British crown or the United Kingdom. In North America, the most common usage of the term refers to loyalty to the British Cro ...
s leaving the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. He was made
major-general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
in the regular army on 12 October 1793, and colonel commandant of a battalion of the
60th (Royal American) Regiment of Foot The King's Royal Rifle Corps was an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army that was originally raised in British North America as the Royal American Regiment during the phase of the Seven Years' War in North America known in the United St ...
in August 1794. Carleton saw off a censure motion and attempted ouster by some assemblymen, led by
James Glenie James Glenie (or Glennie) (1750 – 23 November 1817) was a Scottish soldier, businessman and political figure associated with New Brunswick. He represented Sunbury County in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1789 to 1809. Li ...
, in the closing years of the 18th century; but Glenie had been found guilty in 1780 by a court-martial board, which included Carleton, "of having behaved unbecoming the Character of an Officer and a Gentleman on many occasions", and so future events between the two would necessarily have been poisoned. Carleton would serve as Governor of New Brunswick until his death on February 2, 1817. In 1803 he departed for England and administered from there, as he never returned to the province, In view of heightened tensions following the 1807 ''Chesapeake–Leopard'' affair and New Brunswick's strategic position on the border with the United States, Carleton was ordered to return to his post. However, Carleton refused on the grounds that the new
Governor General Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...
, Sir
James Henry Craig General Sir James Henry Craig KB (1748 – 12 January 1812) was a British military officer and colonial administrator. Early life and military service Craig came from a Scottish family whose father was a judge of the civil and military cour ...
, was only a
lieutenant-general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
while Carleton was a full general, and that “officers of a superior rank in the King’s Army cannot with propriety serve under the command of inferiors”. Carleton's duties in New Brunswick had to be borne by a succession of local officers.


Legacy

Of Carleton and wife Hannah Foy (née Van Horn) were born son William and daughters Emma and Anne. Stepson Captain Nathaniel Foy was born to Hannah in her first marriage.
Mount Carleton At 817m, Mount Carleton, in Mount Carleton Provincial Park is the highest peak in the Canadian province of New Brunswick, and the Maritime Provinces. It is one of the highlights of the Canadian portion of the International Appalachian Trail. ...
, the tallest mountain in New Brunswick, is named for him.


Notes


Sources

*''The American Journals of Lt. John Enys'', John Enys and Elizabeth Cometti (editor), Syracuse University Press, 1976 *''Travels Through the Interior Parts of America 1776-1781 Volumes 1 and 2'', Thomas Anburey, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1923 *''The Burning of the Valleys'', Gavin K. Watt, Dundurn Press, 1997 *''Carleton's Raid'', Ida H. Washington and Paul A. Washington, Cherry Tree Books, 1977


External links


St Swithuns Church Nately Scures England - showing Memorial for Guy Carleton, Governor of Quebec & Thomas Carleton Governor of New Brunswick
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carleton, Thomas 1735 births 1817 deaths British Army personnel of the American Revolutionary War 29th Regiment of Foot officers Worcestershire Regiment officers Lancashire Fusiliers officers Governors of the Colony of New Brunswick Colony of New Brunswick people 18th-century Anglo-Irish people