Richard Henry Carter

Richard Henry Carter (April 21, 1817 – April 17, 1880) was a Virginia planter and politician, and a Confederate officer during the American Civil War.

Richard Henry Carter
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the Fauquier County district
In office 1853 – January, 1856
Personal details
Born	(1817-04-21)April 21, 1817 Marshall, Virginia, US
Died	April 7, 1880(1880-04-07) (aged 62) Panama
Residence	Glen Welby
Occupation	planter, politician, Confederate officer
Military service
Allegiance	Confederate States
Branch/service	Confederate States Army
Years of service	1861-65
Rank	major
Unit	8th Virginia Infantry
Battles/wars	Battle of Gettysburg

Carter's grave in the Warrenton Cemetery

Born to planter Edward Carter (1788–1845) and his wife Frances Toy Carter (1798–1864) at Meadow Grove near Marshall in Fauquier County, Richard had several brothers and sisters. He married Mary Welby DeButts (1819–1885) and they had eleven children, many of whom died in childhood. One of his daughters, Fanny, married R. Taylor Scott.

Carter served as Fauquier County's delegate in the Virginia General Assembly from 1853 until 1856 (winning re-election once).^[1]

After Virginia declared its secession, Carter recruited the 8th Virginia Infantry and was commissioned captain of its Company B. He served throughout the war, was wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg and mustered out at Appomattox Court House with the rank of Major. His brothers Winston Fitzhugh Carter and William Fitzhugh Carter also became Confederate officers (Winston dying in 1862), as did his son Edward C. Carter (1843–1928).

Carter died in Panama on April 17, 1880. His corpse was returned for burial in Fauquier County.

References

1. Cynthia Miller Leonard, Virginia's General Assembly 1619-1978: A Bicentennial Register (Virginia State Library 1978) p. 454, 459