Gilbert S. Carpenter

Gilbert S. Carpenter (17 April 1836 – 12 August 1904) was a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of the American Civil War, American Indian Wars, Spanish–American War, and Philippine–American War, he served from 1861 until 1899. He was promoted to temporary brigadier general during the Spanish–American War and permanent brigadier general while serving in the Philippines. Carpenter retired a few months before reaching the mandatory retirement age of 64.

A native of Medina, Ohio, Carpenter was raised and educated in Akron and graduated from Akron High School in 1854. He graduated from Western Reserve University in 1859, read law with his father, and was admitted to the bar in 1861. Instead of practicing law, he enlisted in the Union Army for the American Civil War. In April 1861, Carpenter joined the 19th Ohio Infantry Regiment, a three-month unit raised at the start of the conflict. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant and served until the unit was mustered out in August.

In September 1861, he joined the 18th Ohio Infantry Regiment as a private, and he was subsequently promoted to first sergeant of the regiment's Company F. In June 1862, he was again commissioned as a second lieutenant, and in November he was promoted first lieutenant. Carpenter received brevet promotion to captain in December 1862 to recognize his commendable service in Tennessee during the Battle of Stones River.

Carpenter remained in the army after the war, and in January 1867 he was promoted to captain in the 45th Infantry Regiment. In 1869, he transferred to the 14th Infantry Regiment, with which he served until 1894, when he was promoted to major in the 4th Infantry Regiment. In 1897, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and second-in-command of the 7th Infantry Regiment.

In September 1898, Carpenter was promoted to temporary brigadier general of United States Volunteers when the army expanded for the Spanish–American War, and he served in Cuba during the war. In May 1899, he was discharged from the volunteers, and in June 1899, he was promoted to colonel in the regular army. From June to December 1899, he commanded the 18th Infantry Regiment in the Philippines during the Philippine–American War. On 5 December 1899, Carpenter was promoted to brigadier general in the regular army. He then requested retirement, which was approved on 26 December. In retirement, Carpenter resided in Montclair, New Jersey and Akron, Ohio. He died in Montclair on 12 August 1904 and was buried at Glendale Cemetery in Akron.

Early life Gilbert Saltonstall Carpenter was born in Medina, Ohio on 17 April 1836, a son of attorney and judge James Sumner Carpenter and Frances C. (Saltonstall) Carpenter. He was raised and educated in Akron, Ohio and graduated from Akron High School in 1854. Carpenter was a student at Western Reserve University, from which he graduated in 1859. (According to an explanatory note on page 15 of the 1916 Western Reserve College Catalogue, students were grouped by class year, and within each year, graduates and non-graduates were separated, with graduates listed first.) Rather than beginning to practice law, Carpenter decided upon a military career. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant of this 90-day regiment, and he served until the unit was mustered out on 31 August 1861.

Family On 18 March 1863, Carpenter married Elizabeth Thacher Balch (1837–1914) of Akron. They were the parents of seven children, four of whom lived to adulthood. Among them was great-grandfather Dudley Saltonstall, a prominent Continental Navy officer during the American Revolutionary War. By May 1873, he was commanding Company K, 14th Infantry at Fort Laramie, Wyoming.

During the Seattle riot of 1886, Carpenter led an ad hoc battalion of four 14th Infantry companies from Vancouver Barracks to Seattle, where they remained until the unrest had subsided. In 1889, he was in command at Fort Klamath, Oregon then was assigned to Fort Hamilton, New York. In August 1890, he was transferred from command of the 14th Infantry's Company K to command of its Company D. In October 1891 he was transferred from command of Company D to command of Company G. He was later assigned to recruiting duty in Cleveland. He was promoted to major in the 4th Infantry Regiment on 1 March 1894. On 7 July 1897, Carpenter was promoted to lieutenant colonel and second-in-command of the 7th Infantry Regiment. He served in Cuba during the Spanish–American War, including participation in the July 1898 Battle of El Caney.

On 21 September 1898, Carpenter received temporary promotion to brigadier general of United States Volunteers. On 12 May 1899, he returned to his permanent rank of lieutenant colonel, and he was promoted to colonel on 20 June 1899. He served in the Philippines during the Philippine–American War as commander of the 18th Infantry Regiment, which he led from June to December. After returning to the United States, on 5 December 1899 Carpenter was promoted to brigadier general in the regular army. He would have reached the mandatory retirement age of 64 in April 1900, but requested retirement soon after his promotion. His application was approved, and he left the army on 31 December 1899.

In retirement, Carpenter resided in Akron, Ohio and Montclair, New Jersey. He died in Montclair on 12 August 1904. Carpenter was buried at Glendale Cemetery in Akron.

Dates of rank Carpenter's dates of rank were:

Second Lieutenant (Union Army), 22 April 1861 Private to First Sergeant (Union Army), 14 September 1861 to 8 June 1862 Second Lieutenant (Union Army), 9 June 1862 First Lieutenant (Union Army), 25 November 1862 Captain (Brevet) (Union Army), 31 December 1862 Captain (Union Army), 21 December 1866 Captain (Regular Army), 22 January 1867 Major (Regular Army), 1 March 1894 Lieutenant Colonel (Regular Army), 7 July 1897 Brigadier General (United States Volunteers), 21 September 1898 Lieutenant Colonel (Regular Army), 12 May 1899 Colonel (Regular Army), 20 June 1899 Brigadier General (Regular Army), 5 December 1899 Brigadier General (Retired), 26 December 1899