Richard Carter

Richard Carter (died 1692) was an English officer in the Royal Navy. He is said to have been lieutenant of the Cambridge in 1672, with Captain Herbert, and to have been promoted from her by Prince Rupert to command the Success, from which, early in 1673, he was moved to the Crown. In April 1675 he was appointed to the Swan, and in January 1678 was moved into the Centurion, which was employed in the Mediterranean against the Barbary corsairs.

In August 1688 he was appointed to the Plymouth, continued in her during and after the Glorious Revolution, and commanded her in the Battle of Beachy Head. During the summer of 1691 he commanded the Vanguard, and early in the following year was promoted to be rear-admiral of the Blue squadron.

In April 1692 he was sent with a few ships to scour the coast of France and survey La Hague, and returned to the fleet in time to take part in the Battle of Barfleur. At the start of the action a light wind kept Carter's Blue squadron away from the rest of the fleet; but later a shift of wind brought his ships among the French, and he was killed in the fighting.

Carter was buried at Portsmouth with ceremonial honour. He had been lieutenant-governor of Southsea Castle since 1682. Allegations of Jacobite leanings were made against him, but never proved.

Career Richard Carter was a servant of Sir Frescheville Holles and was commissioned first lieutenant of the Cambridge, commanded by Holles, on 8 January 1672. After Holles's death at the Battle of Solebay, Carter continued lieutenant of the Cambridge, under Captain Herbert, afterwards Earl of Torrington, and was promoted from her by Prince Rupert to command the Success on 6 February 1673. From 5 June 1673 he commanded the Crown of 42 guns but was discharged on 10 October 1674.

In April 1675 (12 April 1675.) Centurion was employed in the Mediterranean, more especially against the Barbary corsairs, till she was paid off on 24 October 1681. He commanded her in the Battle of Bantry Bay on 11 May 1689 and in her led the van of the Red squadron in the Battle of Beachy Head on 30 June 1690.

From 21 January 1691 he commanded the Vanguard, a ship of the second-rate, and on 29 January 1692 was promoted to be rear-admiral of the Blue squadron. He died of his wounds at 10 p.m. the ships of his division fired twenty-two gun salutes as his remains were rowed ashore. He was buried at Portsmouth on 3 June 1692, with a great display of military pomp and ceremony. His widow, Mary, was granted a pension of 200l. per annum.

Appraisal It was openly stated by many, both before and after his death, that Carter was in the interest of King James, that his taking service under William was a pretence, and that he had received 10,000l. to take his division over to the French in April 1692. Laughton, writing in 1887, opposes this view: "In life Carter was a poor man, and he died poor; so far from attempting to hand his division over to the enemy, he fell while executing the manoeuvre which insured their ruin, and as he died his last words were an exhortation to his men to fight bravely, fight to the last. The story may be pronounced a libel on a brave man."