James Harvey Carson

James Harvey Carson (February 11, 1808 – January 13, 1884) was a brigadier general in the Virginia militia, who served along with the Confederate States Army in northwestern Virginia at various times during 1861 and early 1862 in the American Civil War (Civil War). Carson's men were part of Stonewall Jackson's force that moved to take the town of Bath, later Berkeley Springs, now in West Virginia, on January 3, 1862.

Carson left the military on February 1, 1862 to go back to and become president of the Virginia State Senate. He returned to farming in 1864 and was active in law and real estate in Frederick County and in Leesburg in Loudoun County, Virginia after the war.

Prior to the Civil War, Carson had been an assistant teacher, a farmer, a lawyer, a colonel in the Virginia militia in 1837, and a member of the Virginia General Assembly, first in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1844 to 1847, then in the Virginia State Senate from 1859 to 1864.

Early life James Harvey Carson was born at Pleasant Green in Frederick County, Virginia, near Winchester, Virginia, on February 11, 1808. His parents were Simon Carson, a farmer and militia officer, and Martha Williams, daughter of the first owner of Pleasant Green. Carson's brigade was left to occupy the town and set up winter quarters while Jackson moved on to take Romney.

Later life Although Carson was praised for his intelligence and a number of admirable qualities, he apparently was not an outstanding military commander. He left the field voluntarily on February 1, 1862 when he returned to his Virginia Senate seat and was elected president of the Virginia Senate. He resigned from Virginia Senate in 1864 and returned to farming.

Carson practiced law and became active in real estate work in Frederick County after the war. Later he moved his work to Leesburg, Virginia in Loudoun County.

James Harvey Carson died at Leesburg, Virginia on January 13, 1884. He was buried in the Carson graveyard at Pleasant Green in Frederick County, Virginia.