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

Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

of the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

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

Early life, education and legal career

John Carpenter 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 John Carpenter Carter attended the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United States, with highly selective ad ...

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

Cumberland University Cumberland University is a private university in Lebanon, Tennessee. It was founded in 1842. The campus's current historic buildings were constructed between 1892 and 1896. History 1842-1861 The university was founded by the Cumberlan ...

in Lebanon, Tennessee. 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 the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...

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 of ...

and quickly became its colonel. He commanded the regiment during the Battle of Shiloh,

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 ...

Battle of Stones River The Battle of Stones River, also known as the Second Battle of Murfreesboro, was a battle 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 Am ...

Battle of Chickamauga The Battle of Chickamauga, fought on September 19–20, 1863, between U.S. and Confederate forces in the American Civil War, marked the end of a Union offensive, the Chickamauga Campaign, in southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia. I ...

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 forces under William J. Hardee during the Atlanta Campaign in the American Civil War. On the first ...

. Brigadier General John C. Carter was mortally wounded during the Battle of Franklin on November 30, 1864, and died December 10 in the Harrison home, south of the battlefield.

Aftermath

Brigadier General John C. 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 General 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 Confederate States of America military personnel killed in the American Civil War {{AmericanCivilWar-bio-stub