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 1750 prob. - 1780
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| Name |
James Carter |
| Title |
Maj |
| Birth |
1750 prob. |
Lunenburg Co, VA  |
| Gender |
Male |
| Burial |
1780 |
| Death |
17-18 Sep 1780 |
| Person ID |
I320 |
Georgia Revolutionary War Graves |
| Last Modified |
14 Aug 2022 |
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| Notes |
- P-129556; NSDAR Ancestor 019945
- Major James Carter ? Patriot History
Speech delivered by: Catherine Elizabeth (Talley) Campbell, Descendant of Major James Carter, during GASSAR Patriot Grave Marking.
A few times each week I drive down Broad Street into downtown Augusta, either on my way to and from work or to exercise. It is almost surreal to think that in the area that I traverse so frequently is where my ancestor engaged in a Revolutionary battle almost 240 years ago.
Prior to the war, James Carter lived in the Old 96 district in South Carolina, which was comprised of present-day Abbeville, Edgefield, and other counties. As with many families in this area, James witnessed the Revolutionary War unfold literally in his backyard. By the summer of 1780, the war that raged in the backcountry of South Carolina had effectively become America?s first civil war as Patriot neighbors fought against Loyalist neighbors. Backcountry fighting tended to be especially brutal and retaliatory as it was personal.
James was probably born around 1750 in Lunenburg County, Virginia. Not a lot is known of him besides his service during the Revolutionary War. However, through the process of assembling pieces from family records, a picture has been constructed.
James had three brothers ? Robert, Thomas, and John - all of whom were born also in Lunenburg County, Virginia. However, there is a burning question that has plagued both myself and other Carter descendants - who were the parents? We don?t know for certain, but they must have had some social standing as they owned a fair amount of property and all the Carter children married into prominent Virginian families.
More than likely his parents died when he was a minor as James had a guardian and executor named Thomas Scott, who was either a family friend or relative. Sometimes local courts would appoint guardians to the children if the father or both parents had passed.
While in Virginia, James married Leticia Mary Martin in Prince Edward County, who was written to have ?attended Washington?s Inaugural Ball and was a wealthy belle of her day.? James? brother, Thomas, married her sister, Sarah. They - along with other family members and friends moved from Virginia to the Old 96 District probably in the mid-1770s.
Given his proximity to battlefields and ascension to the rank of Major, I know that he must have fought in multiple battles, but you will find many ?James Carters? on the various rosters. However, we know for certain of one, which was the failed recapture of Augusta in September 1780.
In January of 1779, Augusta was taken by the British. Those that remained in Augusta either signed an oath of allegiance to the King or accepted the loss of their property. Those that would renege on their oath would suffer the consequences. At the helm of this occupation was Loyalist, Colonel Thomas Browne, who had been a resident of Augusta.
A few years prior, he attracted the anger of the Whigs by publicly denouncing their association and summoning friends of the King to join a counter-association. When he refused to swear to honor the Association, the mob tarred and feathered, and exposed him to public ridicule. Needless to say, he had no love for Augusta as a result. Soon after, he made his escape to the British, swearing vengeance against all patriots.
Colonel Elijah Clarke, a militia leader from Wilkes County, Georgia, had for a long time had been anxious to expel Browne from Augusta. These two men had a history ? both on and off the field. In early September 1780, Clarke and Lieutenant Colonel James McCall assembled three divisions of men for an attempt to retake Augusta, which included Major Carter.
The divisions headed towards Augusta to get possession of what was called the White House at McKay?s Trading Post, a little over two miles away from Fort Augusta along the Savannah River in present day Harrisburg. Fort Augusta, which housed the first edition of my church, St. Paul?s, was renamed to Fort Cornwallis when it was taken by the British. It was not adequately fortified at that time, so Browne attempted to move his position to the trading post.
The garrisons of the enemy?s forts were completely surprised by the Patriot divisions. Upon detection of Clarke?s arrival at Augusta, Browne immediately sent a message to Lt.-Col. John Harris Cruger's command at Fort Ninety-Six for reinforcements.
In the meantime, British troops under Browne and their Indian allies had retreated to the trading post. Clarke persevered in his attempts to bring the enemy to submission, but Browne continued to defend his post even though he himself had been shot through both thighs. The wounded were suffering for medical aid, and were destitute of water with Clarke having succeeded in depriving the garrison of supply.
After a four-day siege, the British were nearly forced to surrender when reinforcements arrived on the opposite side of the river from Ninety-Six. Clarke withdrew, from a belief that further efforts to retake Augusta would be useless and even more costly.
The loss for Clarke was sixty killed and wounded. Of those wounded was Major Carter who took a moral wound at the door of the White House. At great hazard, he was carried off by Lt. William Bugg to his family plantation where we are standing now. It?s only fitting that the grave beside Major Carter is his friend (who was related by marriage through the Martins) who helped him escape from the hands of the enemy. He was one of the fortunate ones.
Those Patriots whose wounds would not allow them to be moved fell into the hands of the enemy. Thirteen of the wounded prisoners were hanged in the staircase of the White House as a consequence of their betrayal to the crown. All this was mercy compared to what others suffered as they were delivered to the Indians.
James Carter was nursed by the faithful hands of Mrs. Sherwood Bugg until his death a few days later. Elizabeth was no stranger to this task as she had converted her home into a refuge and hospital for the Patriots and Continental soldiers, nursing many of them back to health.
Although the first siege appeared to be a failure, this battle triggered the events that led to Kings Mountain. Following the attack, Clarke and his regiment retreated to North Carolina, hounded by Indians and loyalists. Lord Cornwallis dispatched a force of loyalists under Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Ferguson to cut off Clarke's band. Instead, Clarke's friends from the mountains swarmed down under their own leaders, caught Ferguson on Kings Mountain, and scored a decisive victory for the patriots the month following the failed siege.
Major Carter left behind two sons, one daughter as well as an unborn child ? my ancestor, Farish. Colonel Farish Carter, for whom Cartersville is named, went on to become a very successful businessman, playing an important role in the growth of Georgia's pre-war economy. I am descended through his daughter, Catherine. Harriet Wilson Balart, her son, James Carter Balart and two of his children ? Charlotte and James ? who join us here today from Louisiana are descended through his son, James Farish.
Upon learning of Major Carter?s demise, Colonel Elijah Clarke paid this tribute by saying: " A man of more bravery than Major Carter never occupied a space between heaven and earth.?
For Clarke to have spoken so highly of him gives me some indication of the type of man he was. And, I am very grateful to know what I do know as there are many Patriot descendants whose ancestors are of the same caliber - but their stories are lost to time.
- -Hemperley, MSources: GA Revolutionary Soldiers & Sailors, Patriots & Pioneers, GASSAR: Vol 2, page 22; Not listed in DAR Pat Index or in the DAR GRS; Roster of Revolutionary Soldiers in Georgia, McCall, vol I, page 158 il Certs of GA. 1776-1800, P14. Lists James Carter as refugee captain and aide-de-camp to Col. Elijah Clarke. The recollections below list him as Major before his death.
Maj. Carter was wounded during the siege of Augusta.
Major Carter, who accompanied the division assaulting by the upper road, encountered a mortal hurt at the door of the White House, while endeavoring to prevent the enemy from gaining possession of that structure. At great hazard he was borne off by his comrades, who conveyed him to the plantation of Mrs. Bugg, where he expired a few days afterwards.
- Major John Carter married Letitia Martin, daughter of John and Ann (Farish) Martin.? -Genealogies of Virginia Families from the William and Mary College Quarterly. Vol. III, p172.
Letitia Martin married James Carter prob.in VA around 1773. After the death of James Carter at the siege of Augusta, she remarried first a McFarland. In 1782, she is referred to as Littice McFarland, alias Carter in probate papers for James Carter?s estate. She was still referred to as Letice McFarlin in Aug 1785. She later remarried Thomas Winn by 1788. Her sister Sarah Martin married Thomas Carter, the brother of James Carter, also in Prince Edward Co, VA.
Letitia was pregnant with a son when James Carter was killed in battle. The boy was born 2 months later and named ?Farish? Carter, Letitia?s mother?s maiden name.
- Grave Marked 11 May 2018 by Brier Creek, Col. William Few, and Wiegrass Chapters GA SAR
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