First in a Series: Our Civil War Ancestors

Maj. William L. Carter

b.1823 - d. 1898, in Harrison County, IN. A Mexican War veteran, school teacher, musician, and farmer. He recruited a company, "Carter's Invincibles", in Harrison County in 1861 and enlisted as a Captain that year in the 38th IN Volunteer Infantry. He fought at Perryville, Stones River, Chickamauga, when he was promoted to major, Missionary Ridge, and the Battles for Atlanta until severely wounded at Jonesboro in 1864 when the 38th carried a rebel works in a charge and their color bearer was killed.  He was commissioned as Lt. Col on August 22nd, 1864 but owing to the small size of the regiment was not mustered at that grade.  On Mar 12, 1888 he was retroactively mustered in as Lt. Col. of 38th IN Inf. Vol., to date Nov 8, 1864.There is a short bio in Henry Perry's History of the 38th Indiana. 

photo courtesy of LCWRT member, Monty Evans