b. 11/02/1839 Glassboro, New Jersey. d. 21/01/1916 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 09-10/1868 Indian Campaigns.
Louis H Carpenter MOH
Louis H. 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.
The eldest son of eight children born to Edward Carpenter 2nd and Anna Maria (Mary) Howey, Carpenter was born in Glassboro, New Jersey. In 1843, his family moved to Philadelphia where they attended Trinity Episcopal Church in West Philadelphia. L. Henry Carpenter attended A. B. Central High School in Philadelphia in 1856 and started attending Student University of Pennsylvania in 1859.
His younger brother, James Edward Carpenter, served in the Union army as a private in the Eighth Pennsylvania Cavalry and later was commissioned a second lieutenant. He later became a first lieutenant, captain then a brevet major of volunteers.
After the Seven Days Battles (June 25 to July 1, 1862), Carpenter was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Regular Army, 6th U. S. Cavalry, on July 17, 1862, for meritorious actions and leadership.
Through the course of the Civil War, Carpenter served in at least 14 campaigns and over 150 battles related to them from the 1861 Peninsula Campaign, the 1862 Maryland Campaign, Campaign at Fredericksburg, the 1863 Gettysburg Campaign, Chancellorsville (in Stoneman’s raid to the rear of Lee’s army), the 1864 The Wilderness and final battles in Kentucky and south-West Virginia.
After the Civil War, he was heavily involved in the Indian Campaigns and held several positions in the command of Forts across the Frontiers. After retiring from the Army Carpenter went home to Philadelphia but never married or had any children. He updated and completed the book his father Edward Carpenter started on his family’s genealogical research, publishing it in 1912, regarding his immigrant ancestor Samuel Carpenter.
He spent time writing about his Civil War service and his time on the Western Frontier. His work on the May 1864 Richmond Raid, also known as Sheridan’s raid, with the resulting Battle of Yellow Tavern where Confederate Army Major General J.E.B. Stuart was mortally wounded is still used as a basic reference. He gave many talks and wrote articles for the G.A.R. The Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army who had served in the American Civil War.
MOH CITATION:
Was gallant and meritorious throughout the campaigns, especially in the combat of October 15 and in the forced March on September 23, 24, and 25 to the relief of Forsyth’s Scouts, who were known to be in danger of annihilation by largely superior forces of Indians.
BURIAL LOCATION: TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH NEW CEMETERY, SWEDESBORO, NJ.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: FAMILY.
