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Civil War Soldiers - Carter
| Carter, Samuel P., brigadier-general,
U.S. Army, was born in Elizabethtown, Carter county, Tenn., Aug. 6,
1819. He studied at Princeton college, but never graduated, leaving
college in 1840 to accept an appointment as midshipman in the U. S.
navy. He was promoted to passed midshipman in 1846, assigned to duty
on the "Ohio" and served on the eastern coast of Mexico during the
Mexican war, being present at the capture of Vera Cruz. He was
attached to the U. S. naval observatory in Washington in 1847 and
1848, was assistant instructor at the U. S. naval academy in 1851-53,
was promoted master in 1854 and lieutenant in 1855, and from 1855 to
1857 was attached to the "San Jacinto" of the Asiatic squadron,
participating in the capture of the Barrier forts in the Canton river.
Returning to America, he was for two years assistant instructor at
West Point, and on July 11, 1861, was ordered to the special duty of
organizing troops from east Tennessee. He was commissioned
brigadier-general, May 1, 1862, was provost-marshal of east Tennessee
during 1863 and 1864, was brevetted major-general of volunteers, March
13, 1865, and mustered out in Jan., 1866. He distinguished himself
during the war for gallantry at Wild Cat, Ky., Mill Springs, and in
the capture of Cumberland gap. In Dec, 1862, he commanded a cavalry
expedition which cut the east Tennessee railroad, destroying nearly
100 miles of track, and doing other damage. He commanded the left wing
of the army at Kinston, N. C, March 10, 1865, and defeated the
Confederates at Goldsboro. At the close of the war he returned to
naval duty, was promoted captain and commodore, was retired Aug. 6,
1881, and promoted rear- admiral on the retired list, May 16, 1882. He
was commandant at the U. S. naval academy during 1869-72, and was a
member of the light-house board from 1867 to 1880. He died in
Washington, D. C, May 26, 1891.
Source: The Union Army: A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal
States 1861-1865, Volume 8 Biographical, 1908
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