Mason Carter
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mason Carter | |
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| January 26, 1834 – December 11, 1909 (aged 75) | |
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| Place of birth | Augusta, Georgia, United States |
| Place of death | San Diego, California |
| Allegiance | Union |
| Service/branch | Union Army United States Army United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1848–1857; 1860–1898 |
| Rank | Major |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War Indian Wars |
| Awards | Medal of Honor |
| Other work | Professor of military science |
Mason Carter (January 26, 1834–December 11, 1909) was a US Army officer who served in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars during the late 19th century. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his role in the Battle of Bear Paw fought on January 8, 1877.
His grandfather was Thomas Flournoy, an American general during the War of 1812.
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[edit] Biography
Born to John Carter and Martha Flournoy in Augusta, Georgia, he went to sea at the age of 14 enlisting in the US Navy as an acting midshipman. During the next eight years, he attended the Annapolis Naval Academy while on active duty in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean. Failing the final exams three times, he was unable to graduate from the academy and eventually resigned in 1857.
In 1860, he enlisted in the 1st U.S. Infantry under the name Mason Howard and was sent to the Indian Territory and participated in operations against the Commanche until the start of the American Civil War when the Union withdrew its forces to Kansas. Serving under General Nathaniel Lyon, Mason was later wounded at Battle of Wilson's Creek on August 10, 1861. He began using his real name the following year and served as a first lieutenant with the 1st Missouri State Militia Cavalry for a brief time before accepting a commission as a second lieutenant in the 5th U.S. Infantry on May 12, 1862. He would eventually become a first lieutenant in 1864.
He was breveted for his actions against "hostile Indians" between Fort Hays and Fort Harker on October 18, 1867. During the Black Hawk War, he would be involved in skirmishes against Sitting Bull in 1876 and Crazy Horse in June 1877. On September 30, while commanding a company during Battle of Bear Paw, he successfully led a charge under heavy fire "dislodging the enemy and causing the Indians considerable losses" despite losing nearly one-third of his command within a half hour. For his actions during the battle, Clark was awarded a brevet and the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Winning promotion to captain on September 4, 1878, Butler remained at that rank until his retirement on January 26, 1898 and became a major on the retired list in 1904. After his retirement, he became professor of military science and taught at the University of the South at Sewanee, Tennessee for ten years before moving to California where he died in San Diego and buried at the Fort Rosecrans Military Reservation on December 11, 1909. He was the first recipient of Medal of Honor to be interned at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery.
[edit] References
- Greene, Jerome A. Battles and Skirmishes of the Great Sioux War, 1876-1877: The Military View. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1993. ISBN 0-8061-2669-8
- Thrapp, Dan L. Encyclopedia of Frontier Biography: In Three Volumes, Volume I (A-F). Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1988. ISBN 0-8032-9418-2
[edit] Further reading
- Beyer, Walter Frederick and Oscar Frederick Keydel. Deeds of Valor, Vol. II. Detroit: Perrien-Keydel Company, 1907.
