What Happened at Fredericksburg ?

The History of New London gives this brief summary of Samuel Murray Carr’s military career in an individual biographical sketch:

“… enlisted Eleventh N.H.V., Aug 11 1862; mustered in as captain of Company F; discharged disabled Jan 29 1863 …”
[https://archive.org/stream/historyoftownofn00lord#page/450/mode/2up]

A similar summary is given in the biographical sketch presented in the History of the Eleventh New Hampshire Regiment:

“Samuel Carr was a resident of New London when the Eleventh Regiment was recruited, in which he was commissioned caption of Company F., September 4, 1862. He was with the regiment at the Battle of Fredericksburg on the 13 December 1862, and was discharged from the service for disability, January 29 1863. He had been a resident of New London for many years and was an officer in the state militia. He now resides in San Francisco, and is prominent in G.A.R matters upon the Pacific coast.”
[https://archive.org/stream/02511527.3272.emory.edu/02511527_3272#page/n217/mode/2up/search/Carr ]

Enlistment:

A little more detail is given in the History of New London chapter for the 1851-1875 period. In April 1861 Lieut. Samuel M Carr had been left in charge of the local militia, the McCutcheon’s Guards, after the two senior officers enlisted for duty in the 11th NHV. He remained in command of the militia unit for over a year. The following August 1862, when the New Hampshire Volunteers (N.H.V) was again recruiting, Sam Carr and the greater part of the remaining complement also enlisted. [https://archive.org/stream/historyoftownofn00lord#page/410/mode/2up]

Rank:

Carr’s rank as Captain is confirmed by a muster roll ticket in his military record which lists him on 29 August 1862 in Concord NH as a “Capt” in Company F of the 11th New Hampshire Volunteers. Muster rolls tickets are recorded for Aug, Sept-Oct and Nov-Dec 1862. The final ticket for Jany&Feby 1863 records his discharge “by order of Maj Gen Sedgewick, Jan 29, 1863”.

Discharge:

There is some doubt as to the reason for Carr’s discharge from the NH Volunteers. The History of New London says he was “discharged disabled” and this version is repeated in the regimental history. However, the muster roll ticket says he was “Dischargd on tender of Resignation.” Carr’s military record contains a letter of resignation which appears to settle the matter:

“To Col Harriman. On account of Very Important Business it is imperitively necessary that I should be in New Hampshire immediately. Therefore I very respectfully resign as Captain of said company, and respectfully request to be discharged. Samuel M Carr, Capt” (underlinings in the original)

The confusion may have been caused by an “Officer’s Casualty Sheet” issued for Sam’l M Carr on the same date as his discharge. However, the description of the Casualty is given as “Res’d.” The form appears to be purposed for recording resignations of officers rather than their injuries.

So Samuel Carr was not discharged from the 11th NH Volunteers on account of disability. He resigned on account of “Very Important Business” that was accepted by his commanding officers as warranting his immediate return to New Hampshire. It is not known what that important business was, although a cynical suggestion for it is hinted at in a letter quoted below.

The Battle of Fredericksburg – December 11-15 1862

The Eleventh New Hampshire Volunteers took part in the Battle of Fredericksburg on December 13th 1862. The regiment was ordered into the thick of the ultimately disastrous assault on an almost impregnable Rebel position at Marye’s Hill. Several first-hand accounts of the regiment’s part in the battle can be found in the regimental history. All give strong affirmation to the performance of the troops under fire, especially in view of the fact that they were a “new regiment”.
[ https://archive.org/stream/02511527.3272.emory.edu/02511527_3272#page/n65/mode/2up ]

A backgrounder piece in the San Francisco Chronicle many years later reported that Samuel Carr returned from the war “a changed man.” He would not have been the first returned soldier to have been profoundly affected by his war experiences. Given the part played by his unit in the fiercest actions of the Fredericksburg battle it would have been completely understandable for Carr to have suffered from what later came to be called “shell-shock” or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). None of which need detract from his reputation as a war hero.

Except that letters from soldiers in Carr’s unit tell a somewhat different story.

Research by the Archivist for the New London Historical Society has uncovered letters sent home by one of Carr’s men. Jim Perkins reports:

“Regarding [Carr’s] service in the U.S. Civil War… I have read letters written by Ransom Sargent, a New London neighbor and musician who served under Carr in both the Guards and in Co. F, 11th NH Volunteers. Sargent’s account of Carr at Fredericksburg and his discharge is interesting. I still haven’t determined whether the account is reliable, nor have I found any other witness to corroborate his statements. In his first reference after the battle (Dec. 15), Sargent seems a little more circumspect than a couple of months later (Feb. 14), after word reached him that Carr, back home, was telling a different version of the battle:

Dec 15, 1862 — Capt. Carr proved to be a real coward and if it hadn’t been for Lieut. Woodward, Co. F would have had no commander at all. Just as soon as the Capt. left his company, Charlie [Woodward] drew his sword and rallied his men on to almost certain death. Now Maria, you will not tell of this because I would not have it known that I wrote home any such stuff for anything, and you wouldn’t either.

Jan 1, 1863 — I think you will see Sam at home before two months for he hasn’t commanded the Co. since the battle and pretends to be sick but looks as well as you ever saw him. All the boys think he is going to play sick a while and then resign and he will get an honorable discharge. He is a laughing stock for the whole Co. Oh, I do wish I could come home with him… // It may be that I am mistakened [sic] about Sam. Don’t say anything about that either.

Jan 17, 1863 — Charlie Woodward… told me confidentially that Sam had got his discharge papers made out and would probably start for home in a few days. I don’t believe he will meet with a very pleasant reception by some of the N. L. folks, at any rate I wouldn’t be in his place for anything for I think it would bring disgrace upon my sweet wife and parents which no money would hire me to do, but if I could get an honorable discharge as I expected once, without playing sick, I should be the happiest man alive…

Feb 14, 1863 — I don’t see why Sam Carr should want to lie so about things out here as far as his going into the fight. I positively know he didn’t. If you can believe every man in the Co. (for I have talked with nearly every one) and they all told the same story that he wasn’t seen after the firing commenced, and I am just as certain that Lieut. Woodward and Little commanded the Co. I think Charlie was very cross to the boys as long as Sam was Captain and who could blame him with his disposition. The whole responsibility rested on him, and Sam laying under the blanket feigning sickness; if I had been in his place I would have kicked him out if they had killed me for it. He showed himself the hog that he is when he left… [more]

Feb 26, 1863 — I must tell you what the Col. said to Gov. Colby about Sam. The Gov. asked him what seemed to be the matter with Sam. Well, said the Col., he has got a large farm and stock that he wants to take care of, and a wife and children that he would like to see… [more]
[Email from Jim Perkins 15 Nov 2015]

Perkins may well have found the corroboration he was seeking in another letter written many years after the Civil War:

“While conducting research for one of my class lectures, I did take a break to review a collection of Civil War letters from another soldier in Samual Carr’s company. He did not have anything to say about Carr, but there was one additional letter in the file, written by a fellow veteran in 1893. According to my notes, it contained the following reference…

Letter: Francis E. Derby (Sherburne VT, now Killington VT) to Walter Pingree (New London NH)
January 26, 1893

“… I am always glad to hear from or see any of my Old Co. F. Boys & would be glad to meet those all that are alive. Excepting Lam Lewis & Capt. Carr (or rather Sam Carr). I never wish to meet them again in this world or the world to come.”

Rauner Special Collections Library, Dartmouth College
Reviewed September 21, 2017

Nothing new in there, but interesting how strongly Francis Derby felt some 60 years after the fact.”
[Email from Jim Perkins 19 Mar 2018]

It seems there was a disjoint between Samuel Carr’s account of his war service and the recollections of the men under his command. Something must have happened to cause such a radical and deeply-held disregard. However, it was probably Carr’s own version that prevailed as he was later to play a significant and leading part in the activities of the Civil War veterans’ association – the G.A.R. (Grand Army of the Republic) – in California.