American Civil War In July 1861, during his junior year, Carpenter dropped out of
Dickinson College and joined the
"Fighting Sixth" Cavalry Regiment. He became a private in the
Union Army, which later became known as the
Army of the Potomac. Carpenter was trained as an infantry soldier, who was also capable of riding a horse to the battlefield, and as a mounted scout. As a "horse soldier", Carpenter and others like him had a steep learning curve; it proved difficult and frustrating during the first year of the conflict. He participated in the
Peninsula Campaign and chased
Jeb Stuart's cavalry, which went completely around the Union Army (June 13–15, 1862). The Union cavalry commanders and men were nonplussed by the Confederates, who mounted a superior cavalry in the early days of the war. Rapid expansion of the Union
cavalry in the
East was chaotic. At the beginning of the Civil War, officers were elected by the men or appointed politically; they also earned office by paying for and supplying units. This resulted in many misguided and inept commanders. The tools and techniques of pre-war cavalry often seemed inadequate, resulting in a steep learning curve that was costly in men and
supplies. Slowly out of the chaos came the tactics and leaders who proved worthy of the challenge. Union "horse soldiers" became
cavalry troopers under this tough regimen and proven adept, dismounted and mounted on horseback, with their
carbines,
pistols,
sabers and confident under their battle-proven leaders. After the
Seven Days Battles (June 25 to July 1, 1862), Carpenter was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the
Regular Army, 6th U. S. Cavalry, on July 17, 1862, for meritorious actions and leadership. • Beverly Ford, Virginia, June 9, at the
Battle of Brandy Station. The 6th was under Buford's right wing. • Benton's Mill, Virginia, June 17, an engagement near Middleburg. • Middleburg, Virginia, June 21, at the
Battle of Middleburg. • Upperville, Virginia, June 21, at the
Battle of Upperville. • Fairfield, Pennsylvania, July 3, at the
Battle of Fairfield. • Williamsport, Maryland, July 6, an engagement. • Funkstown, Maryland, July 7, a small engagement. • Boonesboro, Maryland, July 8 and 9, at the
Battle of Boonesboro. • Funkstown, Maryland, July 10, at the
Battle of Funkstown.
Battle of Brandy Station On June 9, 1863, opposing cavalry forces met at Brandy Station, near
Culpeper, Virginia. The 9,500
Confederate cavalrymen under Major General
J.E.B. Stuart were surprised at dawn by Major General Alfred Pleasonton's combined arms force of two cavalry divisions of some 8,000 cavalry troops (including the 6th U.S. Cavalry Regiment and Carpenter with his Company H) and 3,000 infantry. Stuart barely repulsed the Union attack and required more time to reorganize and rearm. This inconclusive battle was the largest predominantly cavalry engagement of the Civil War to that time. This battle proved for the first time that the Union horse soldiers, like Carpenter, were equal to their Southern counterparts.
Battle of Fairfield On July 3, 1863, reports of a slow moving Confederate wagon train in the vicinity of
Fairfield, Pennsylvania, attracted the attention of newly commissioned Union Brigadier General
Wesley Merritt of the Reserve Brigade, First Division, Cavalry Corps. He ordered the 6th U.S. Cavalry under Major
Samuel H. Starr to scout Fairfield and locate the wagons, resulting in the
Battle of Fairfield. Carpenter's next action was with Major Starr on July 3, 1863. Starr had his 400 troopers dismount in a field and an orchard on both sides of the road near Fairfield. Union troopers directed by their officers took up hasty defensive positions on this slight ridge. Carpenter's troops and others threw back a mounted charge of the
7th Virginia Cavalry, just as the Confederate
Chew's Battery unlimbered and opened fire on the Federal cavalrymen. Supported by the
6th Virginia Cavalry, the 7th Virginia charged again, clearing Starr's force off the ridge and inflicting heavy losses. General
"Grumble" Jones, outnumbering the Union forces by more than 2 to 1, pursued the retreating Federals for three miles to the Fairfield Gap, but was unable to eliminate his quarry. Major Starr who was wounded in the first attack was unable to escape and was captured. Small groups of the 6th Cavalry," ... reformed several miles from the field of action by Lt. Louis H. Carpenter," harassed the Virginia troopers giving the impression of the vanguard of a much larger force. Carpenter became then became the acting executive officer of the Regiment. Carpenter, in this fight with others of his small regiment at Fairfield, stood against two of the crack brigades of Stuart's cavalry. The 6th Cavalry's stand was considered one of the most gallant in its history and helped influence the outcome the battles being fought around Gettysburg. While the 6th Cavalry regiment was cut to pieces, it fought so well that its squadrons were regarded as the advance of a large body of troops. The senior officer of those brigades was later criticized severely for being delayed by such an inferior force. Had the 6th Cavalry regiment not made their stand, the two brigades of Virginians could have caused serious problems to the Union rear areas. Lieutenant Carpenter, of Troop H, was one of only three officers of the 6th U.S. Cavalry to escape from the deadly melee at Fairfield on July 3, 1863. Carpenter was
brevetted from second lieutenant to first lieutenant for his gallant and meritorious conduct for his actions at Fairfield. During this time period, he was mentioned in official reports and dispatches.
Overland Campaign ,
chromolithograph by
Thure de Thulstrup. Carpenter is listed as being on the chesnut horse on the far right. On April 5, 1864, Major General
Philip Sheridan was appointed to command the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac under the newly promoted general-in-chief Lieutenant General
Ulysses S. Grant. Carpenter became his
Aide-de-camp similar to today's
executive assistant known then as a Field & Staff (F&S) officer to the Cavalry Corps. On May 8, 1864, at the beginning of the
Overland Campaign, Sheridan went over his immediate superior, Major General
Meade's head and told Grant that if his Cavalry Corps were let loose to operate as an independent unit, he could defeat Confederate Major General
J.E.B. Stuart. "Jeb" Stuart was the most prominent and able cavalry officer of the south. Grant was intrigued and convinced Meade of the value of Sheridan's request. Despite what Carpenter and other supporters of Sheridan have written, further raids of this caliber were less than successful. And these raids may have even hindered the Union effort by the lack of reconnaissance and intelligence Sheridan could have otherwise provided. How long Carpenter served with Sheridan is not currently known. Carpenter is not mentioned in Sheridan's personal memoirs or other major books on Sheridan.
Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Carpenter was promoted to first lieutenant in the
Regular Army on September 28, 1864.
First Battle of Saltville In late September 1864, Burbridge led a raid into southwest Virginia against the salt works near the town of
Saltville, Virginia as part of the
Battle of Saltville on October 1, 1864. Burbridge controversially led white troops and some 600 mostly untrained
black troops into that battle and, despite outstanding effort by the "coloured troops," the raid ultimately failed. Burbridge quickly retreated the next day. Wounded troops (black and white) were left behind on the field of battle. By October 3, an unknown number of surrendered and wounded Union soldiers were killed by
Confederate regular, home guard and irregular soldiers, with special ire directed toward the black troops. Union forces en route back to Camp Nelson had a brief engagement on October 21, 1864, at
Harrodsburg, Kentucky. A few days later, Carpenter faced the defeated but defiant Union troops as they returned to Camp Nelson in October. The reports of "
Black Flag" behavior toward the "colored troops" and their white officers frightened many men. And it was widely reported in the press both North and South. Carpenter's solution, which was granted by his superiors, involved placing literate white non-commissioned officers among the "colored sergeants." This combined with a literacy program for African-American NCOs corrected the problem in time. The first Union charge wavered and fell back. Carpenter was seen giving clear orders to reform and rallied his men. With a mighty yell the 5th USCC rushed forward toward the breastworks but could not break the defensive line. Carpenter ordered the men to dig in and night fell. Volunteers went out between lines to rescue the wounded. was one of the most widely used revolvers of the Civil War. It had a six-shot, rotating cylinder, and fired a round lead ball projectile, propelled by
black powder and a copper
percussion cap. About an hour after the ambush, local citizens found 15 dead and 20 wounded soldiers stretched out on and near the road. Four more soldiers were later found dead of wounds or of exposure nearby. The men of Simpsonville took 20 wounded men back to town, 8 of the men so severely wounded they were not expected to live. A total of six soldiers died en route or in Louisville.
Reconstruction '' cartoon from October 1874 depicting White League and
Klan opposition to Reconstruction. After the fighting stopped and
Reconstruction began, Carpenter did not go with the 6th Cavalry to Texas in October 1865, as reported in some historical sketches. Carpenter stayed in Arkansas with the 5th USCC until March 1866. Carpenter was promoted colonel of volunteers on November 2, 1865. ::::1864 October 2 – Saltville, Virginia –
Battle of Saltville I October 21 – Harrodsburg, Kentucky – an
engagement December 12 – Hopkinsville, Kentucky – an engagement December 13 – Kingsport, Tennessee (
flanking movement &
skirmishing) December 17–18, 1864, Marion, Virginia –
Battle of Marion December 20–21 – Saltville, Virginia –
Battle of Saltville II ::::1865 January 25 – Simpsonville, KY – an
ambush Retirement of the 5th USCC The 5th USCC Regimental Commander, Colonel of Volunteers, L. Henry Carpenter, had his final regimental review on March 16, 1866, in
Helena, Arkansas. The names of 46 officers and men still listed officially as missing in action and presumed murdered between October 2 & 8, 1864 were read for a final time to the regiment. Carpenter accepted the rank of captain in the Regular Army on July 28, 1866, and took command of the
African American troops of "D" company, 10th U.S. Cavalry. The 10th U.S. Cavalry regiment was composed of black enlisted men and white officers, which was typical for that era. Carpenter was assigned to the newly formed Company H on July 21, 1867 on a sand island up the North Fork of the
Republican River; this action became the
Battle of Beecher Island. The Indians were primarily
Cheyenne, supported by members of the
Arapaho tribe under the Cheyenne
War Chief Roman Nose, who was killed during the battle. Three rescue parties went out on different routes to find the endangered party. The first, led by
Lieutenant Colonel Carpenter in charge of Troop H & I of the
10th Cavalry Regiment, relieved Forsyth on September 25. Forsyth had been shot in the thigh, breaking his leg, and in the forehead. He was not expected to survive another day. These three Native American leaders were the first to be tried, for raids (
Warren Wagon Train Raid) and murder, in a United States civil court instead of a military court. This would deny them any vestige of rights as prisoners of war by being tried as any common criminal in the Court of the Thirteenth Judicial District of Texas in
Jacksboro, Texas near
Fort Richardson. chief, was one of three models for the
Indian Head nickel. The military leaders at the fort had been given written information from the Indian Agent regarding the killings during the raid. Plans were made to arrest the Indians involved. D Troop was hidden on foot behind the main office building. Carpenter had mounted troopers waiting nearby. Sherman and Grierson sat on the porch, reviewing the situation and waiting for the Indians to arrive. When the Indians came, they blatantly boasted of what they had done. After Sherman told the Indians they were under arrest, a signal was given and the dismounted troopers came forward with carbines and pistols in hand.
Lone Wolf, supporting the Kiowa Chiefs, pulled a rifle out from under his blanket
serape and pointed it at Sherman. Sherman, ready for any problem, quickly disarmed him before the trigger could be pulled. Big Tree made an attempt to escape but was quickly subdued by Carpenter's mounted troopers. Sherman decided that these men were criminals to be tried in a civil court and Carpenter was told to get it done. The other two Kiowa were tried, found guilty, sentenced to death, had their sentences commuted to life and then paroled within a few years. They violated parole by raiding; Satanta was sent to the Huntsville State Penitentiary in Texas where, in despair, he later killed himself. Big Tree, who presented witnesses to his non-involvement, was returned to the reservation and accepted pacification. The 10th were sent to
Fort Concho in Texas where they were established on April 17, 1875. The exception was Carpenter's troop stationed at Fort Davis as of May 1, 1875. Carpenter became heavily involved in the
Victorio Campaign of 1879–80. From January 12, 1880, to May 12, 1880, Carpenter directed scouting missions into the isolated
Chinati Mountains bordering the United States with Mexico. The surrounding area on the American side was the high desert of far
West Texas. This is where Victorio and other Apaches had been making raids. These scouts helped provide the first reliable maps drawn in the areas of operation. Finding waterholes and mapping the area was a critical step in Victorio campaign. On May 12, 1880, when eight Apaches attacked a nearby wagon train. Captain Carpenter and H Company pursued the Apaches to the
Rio Grande. There, under orders, Carpenter had to stop at the international border with Mexico.
Rattlesnake Springs Colonel Grierson, commander of the 10th Cavalry, traversed the hot
Chihuahuan Desert and then the narrow valleys of the Chinati Mountains, reaching Rattlesnake Springs on the morning of August 6, 1880. His cavalrymen and their mounts were worn down from the forced march of over 65 miles in 21 hours. After resting and getting water, Grierson carefully placed his men in ambush positions. Carpenter, with his two cavalry troops, arrived as reinforcements and were posted in reserve a short distance south of the spring. The cavalrymen settled down to wait as Indian scouts brushed away any sign of their presence. He was survived by his warrior sister
Lozen who continued fighting. She was captured in 1886 by Buffalo Soldiers of the
9th Cavalry. Over 34,420 miles of uncharted terrain were charted from 1875 to 1885 by Carpenter and other officers of the 10th Cavalry in West Texas. They added 300 plus miles of new roads with over 200 miles of telegraph lines. The scouting expeditions took the Buffalo soldiers through some of the harshest and desolate terrain ever documented in the American west. Excellent maps were provided by Carpenter and other officers showing the scarce water holes, mountain passes and grazing areas. These efforts by Carpenter and others of the 10th Cavalry were completed under adverse weather, limited supplies and the primitive equipment of the day. They had to be on the alert for the unexpected hit and run raids from Apaches and other Native American hostiles and bandits of all types." Carpenter was then transferred to the
5th Cavalry with promotion to major, Regular Army, on February 17, 1883. Major Carpenter, then commanding officer of
Fort Myer, was on duty with a contingent of soldiers at the bequest of
William Crowninshield Endicott, the Secretary of War, for the 25th anniversary of the
Battle of Gettysburg and its Blue &
Gray reunions.
Late career and Spanish–American War Carpenter served as the first Director of the "Cavalry and Light Artillery School" at Fort Riley, Kansas as a lieutenant colonel, Regular Army,
7th Cavalry (1892–1897). This school "formed the basis for practical instruction that enabled the officers and men who participated to study the duties of the soldier in garrison, in camp, and on the march." He also served as President of the Board to Revise Cavalry Tactics for the United States Army. Scott commanded Troop L from inception to release of duty. Troop L, noted for their "deportment and discipline", was the last of these Native-American Troops to be disbanded soon after the "final review" of the Cavalry School's Director. Carpenter was promoted to lieutenant colonel, Regular Army, 2nd Cavalry on July 28, 1892, and transferred to the 5th Cavalry on August 28, 1892, serving at Fort Riley, Kansas. He was transferred to the 7th Cavalry on September 22, 1894. He was promoted to colonel, Regular Army, while stationed with the 7th Cavalry on June 2, 1897, and on May 4, 1898, he was commissioned a brigadier general of volunteers for the duration of the
Spanish–American War. Colonel Carpenter was promoted on October 18, 1899, to
brigadier general, Regular Army; he then retired the next day, at his own request, having served honorably for 38 years. ==Retirement==