Carpenter, Stephen J

Stephen Carpenter

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Significance:

8th Wisconsin Artillery

Place of Birth:

Russia, New York

Date of Birth:

June 10, 1827

Place of Death:

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Date of Death:

December 31, 1862

Place of Burial:

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Cemetery Name:

Stones River National Cemetery

Stephen J. Carpenter was born in Russia, New York on June 10, 1827. He became a civil engineer and married his wife, Emily, on September 25, 1848. Carpenter volunteered to serve in 1861 receiving a commission as a Captain commanding the 8th Independent Battery, Wisconsin Light Artillery at Madison, Wisconsin on October 8, 1861.

Carpenter first had to recruit enough men to serve the six cannons in his battery. That process took three months. That battery mustered into service on January 8, 1862, and travelled west to their first assignment in Kansas. Carpenter and his men returned to the Western Theater in May 1862 spending time in Kentucky and Tennessee through the summer. They moved south that fall and fought in the Battles of Iuka (September 19, 1862) and Corinth (October 3-4, 1862) in Mississippi.

Carpenter and his battery kept busy during the Stones River Campaign. They engaged the enemy on December 26, 1862, at Nolensville and exchanged fire with enemy batteries during the afternoon and evening of December 30th as the U.S. Army of the Cumberland’s Right Wing fought its way into position. The morning of December 31st brought a wave of Confederates that drove away the infantry of Col. William Woodruff’s brigade leaving the 8th Wisconsin to stand on their own.

Pvt. Emerson Calkins described the fighting in his diary. “Hell had let loose … We worked our guns just as fast as we could … In the edge of the timber and over the fence they came at us with a yell. We poured canister into them ... Our Captain fell dead, only a few feet from me.” The battery continued falling back trying to keep the enemy at bay ending the day having lost 50 men, three guns and one limber.

Col. Woodruff recognized the bravery of the battery and its fallen leader in his report of the battle. “Let me call the attention to the conduct of Captain Carpenter, of the Eighth Wisconsin Battery, who fell gallantly serving his guns until the enemy were within a few yards of their muzzles. He died as a soldier would wish to die, with his face to the foe, in the smoke and din of battle.”

Captain Stephen J. Carpenter rests in plot L-4605 of Stones River National Cemetery.

Tags: stones river national battlefield, stones river national cemetery, american civil war