James Edward Carpenter
| James Edward Carpenter | |
|---|---|
| Born |
March 6, 1841 Chesterfield, Kent County, Maryland |
| Died | August 16, 1901 (aged 60) Newburyport, Massachusetts |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Army& Union Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1864 |
| Rank |
 Major of volunteers |
| Battles/wars |
American Civil War *Battle of Gettysburg *Battle of Chancellorsville |
| Relations | General Louis H. Carpenter, brother |
| Other work | attorney at law |
James Edward Carpenter (March 6, 1841 – August 16, 1901) served in the Union Army in 1861 as a private in the Eighth Pennsylvania Cavalry. In 1862 he became a second lieutenant and progressed in rank to first lieutenant, captain, then a brevet major of volunteers due to gallantry. He later served his community and Philadelphia with honor as a business lawyer of high respect.
James E. Carpenter was a direct descendant (great-great-great-grandson) of the notable immigrant Samuel Carpenter (November 4, 1649 Horsham, Sussex, England – April 10, 1714 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) who came to America in early 1683 by way of Barbados.
James was the second eldest son of eight children born to Edward Carpenter 2nd and Anna Maria (Mary) Howey. He was born in Chesterfield, Kent County, Maryland and in 1843 his family moved to Philadelphia where they attended Trinity Episcopal Church in West Philadelphia.
In 1861 he joined as a private the Eighth Pennsylvania Cavalry and in 1862 he was commissioned as a second lieutenant.
During the night of September 17/18, 1862, he was wounded seriously inside the elbow in the engagement at Philomont, Virginia on the advance at the end of the fighting at the Battle of Antietam.
In the early evening of May 2, 1863, he was part of the heroic, but ultimately futile, charge of the Eighth Pennsylvania Cavalry against Confederate General Jackson's Corp flanking attack during the Battle of Chancellorsville. His horse was shot from under him and of the five officers who rode at the head of the attacking column, he was one of only two who survived. This charge of Union Cavalry was not strong enough and only marginally slowed down the collapse of the right flank of the Union Army Major General Joseph Hooker's Army of the Potomac. Hooker had only left a token force of Cavalry with his main attack thinking they would not be needed in the woods. Hooker had sent 7,500 Cavalry troopers with Major General George Stoneman to raid behind the Confederate line into their supply and communications. Stoneman's Raid, as it became known, ultimately failed in its main quest, but was a confidence builder for the Union Cavalry.
...
Wikipedia