William E. Carpenter, - Bishop Post, G.A.R.

William Edgar Carpenter lived in Adams Township, Defiance County, in the 1860 census.  He was 17 and the oldest child at home with seven younger siblings.  At the age of 18, he enlisted in Company F, 48th Ohio Volunteer Infantry on November 2, 1861 for a three month tour.  He then re-enlisted for three years, climbing up in the ranks throughout the war.

On July 13, 1862, he was promoted to Full Corporal and then again to Sergeant on October 5, 1865.  When he re-enlisted, he was transferred to Company D of the 48th.  Later, a consolidation took place with the 48th, the 114th and the 83rd, so before mustering out, he was in Company E of the 83rd, as his pension card noted.


Just thirty days after he enlisted his unit suffered a surprise Confederate attack at Shiloh.  It must have been a rude shock for young Carpenter.  In April, 1864, the 48th was part of General Banks' Red River expedition in the south.  The entire regiment was captured after the fighting at the Battle of Sabine Crossroads near Mansfield, Louisiana.  

The regiment was taken to the Prisoner of War Camp near Tyler, Texas, called Camp Ford.  There, the conditions were quite crude before their arrival and the situation was worse after more than 3,000 new prisoners were added after the capture of the 48th.  Overcrowding, reduced rations, disease - all were problems within the stockade of the camp.
 

Information on Camp Ford

In October, 1864, after about six months, a massive prisoner exchange took place where the 48th was released.  Most of them had worn the same clothes since their captivity and had suffered from lack of food.  But they went on to serve, first to fight near Mobile, Alabama and then they were on duty in New Orleans until January 1865.  They were mustered out in Galveston, Texas on July 24, 1865.  William E. Carpenter reported on the 1890 veterans' census that he had served 4 years, 6 months, and 21 days.

After the war, William married Harriet M. Chase and they settled in Defiance.  The 1880 census enumerator found them living on Water Street - William was 37 and employed as Defiance County Recorder.  His wife, Harriet, was 30, and they had children Lenora, 12 - Emma, 9 - Louis, 2 - and Daisey - 8 months.  Later, another child, Bessie, would come along.

William died at the relatively young age of 53, after giving many more years of service to the people of Defiance County.

 

    

William E. Carpenter is buried at Riverside Cemetery - www.findagrave.com