William J. Carson (August 30, 1840 – December 13, 1913) was a United States Army soldier and recipient of the United States' highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of Chickamauga in the American Civil War.
Carson, a bugler and private in the 15th United States Infantry Regiment of the United States Regular Army, helped rally a detachment of the Regular Army Brigade (Regular Brigade) of the Union Army of the Cumberland to hold an advanced position for a critical period of time at the Battle of Stones River on December 31, 1862. The forward regiments held off a large Confederate attack long enough to permit the Union forces which were withdrawing elsewhere on the battlefield to regroup and hold critical defensive lines protecting their supply line and route of retreat over the Nashville turnpike and a railroad line. The forward regiments ultimately had to withdraw in haste in the face of superior force but then held key fallback defensive positions and held the field at the end of the battle. While in the retreat across an open field and under fire, Carson helped a wounded comrade from the battlefield, saving him from probable death on the field or capture.
On both days of the Battle of Chickamauga, on his own initiative, Carson played a key role in rallying Union troops under heavy attack near the end of the Union line. These actions delayed further Confederate attacks long enough on the first day for the broken Union regiments to regroup and hold their ground. On the second day of the battle, the extra time gained by the troops rallied by Carson's actions allowed most of the Union Army to retreat to the defenses of Chattanooga, Tennessee, without pursuit by the Confederate soldiers. Carson's actions rallied the troops and gave the impression that a large number of Union reinforcements were arriving. Renewed Confederate assaults were delayed so the Confederates could mass their forces against the supposed reinforced Union line. This delay allowed most of the Union Army on the field, including most of the XIV Corps to which the regulars were assigned, to retreat to a more secure position at Chattanooga. The small remaining rear guard force, including Carson, held the Union line for three additional critical hours until most of the remaining defenders ran out of ammunition and were taken prisoner.
Early life William J. Carson was born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, on August 30, 1840.Military Times Hall of Valor Retrieved January 6, 2012. In 1845, his parents moved to Washington County, Ohio, and in 1852 they again moved to Logan County, Ohio, near Bellefontaine, the county seat. William worked on the family farm in spring, summer, and early autumn, and attended the district school in winter. He was at Bellefontaine when the American Civil War began.Association of Survivors Regular Brigade Fourteenth Corps Army of the Cumberland Proceedings of Reunions, 1894-1897 Columbus, Ohio: John L. Trauger, 1898. Historical Sketch by Frederick Phisterer. Retrieved January 8, 2012. p. 120.
On September 2, 1861, Carson enlisted in the 15th United States Infantry Regiment, and was assigned to Company "E", 1st Battalion, under the command of Captain Henry Keteltas.Rodenbough, Theophilus F., and William L. Haskin. The Army of the United States: Historical Sketches of Staff and Line with Portraits of Generals-in-Chief. New York: Maynard, Merrill, and Co., 1896. . Retrieved January 1, 2012. p. 612Rodebaugh, p. 612, refers to Keteltas as later a Colonel, "New York City." He was from New York. Guy Vernor Henry in Military record of Civilian Appointments in the United States Army, Volume 2 New York: D. Van Nostrand, 1873. p. 294 states that Keteltas was appointed brevet lieutenant colonel, U.S. Army, for bravery at the Battle of Chickamauga and Battle of Missionary Ridge and that he resigned from the army in June 1867.
American Civil War service William J. Carson participated with his regiment in all of its Civil War battles from the Battle of Shiloh (Pittsburgh Landing) on April 7, 1862, to the Battle of Chickamauga (Chickamauga, Georgia) on September 19 and 20, 1863 after which he was taken prisoner. Carson was a bugler but he picked up a rifle and joined in the fighting if needed. His distinguished record earned him a high amount of praise from officers and fellow soldiers and eventually the Medal of Honor for his gallantry at the Battle of Chickamauga.Here is some of the general praise and the recommendations for Carson from his officers. Other specific details about his actions at Chickamauga and general praise for Carson are found in letters from other officers shown in the text of this article. "Washington, D. C, September 3, 1864" "It gives me much pleasure to recommend William J. Carson, an old member of my company. Carson is a most gallant soldier, was mentioned in orders for his conduct at Chickamauga, is thoroughly reliable, honest, Sober and intelligent." Henry Keteltas, Captain 15th Infantry. Fort Adams, R. I., September 2, 1864. "During about eighteen months' service in the field I had abundant opportunity to observe the gallant conduct of Private Carson, and I take great pleasure in indorsing the above." James Y. Semple, First Lieutenant, 15th Infantry.Survivors Proceedings, 1898, pp. 120-121.
Battle of Shiloh and beyond The 1st Battalion of the 15th U.S. Infantry Regiment was ordered to join then Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant for the Battle of Fort Donelson but the fort was captured before the battalion could join Grant.Rodebaugh, 1896, p. 613 The battalion then went to Nashville, Tennessee where it was assigned to the brigade of Brigadier General Lovell H. Rousseau, in the division of Major General Alexander McCook, in the first Army of the Ohio.Rodebaugh, 1896, pp. 613-614 The division moved south to join Grant but arrived the night after the first day of the Battle of Shiloh.Rodebaugh, 1896, pp. 614-615 The 1st Battalion, 15th United States Infantry Regiment fought on the second day of the Battle of Shiloh, April 7, 1862. Along with the rest of the division, the battalion routed a Confederate division in a conspicuous charge. Company E commander Captain Henry Keteltas, three other officers and fifty-five men were wounded along with the four regulars killed in the action.Rodebaugh, 1896, p. 615 After Shiloh, the regulars participated in the Siege of Corinth.Rodebaugh, 1896, pp. 615-616 They spent the remainder of the year marching and maneuvering through Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky before returning to Nashville in November 1862.Rodebaugh, 1896, pp. 616-617
Battle of Stones River Soon after Major General William S. Rosecrans assumed command of the first Union Army of the Ohio and changed its name to the Army of the Cumberland on October 24, 1862, he took steps to increase the number of men in the four Regular Army regiments (Carson's 15th, and the 16th, 18th and 19th U. S. Infantry Regiments) under his command to their authorized strength and to place them in a single "Regular Brigade."Johnson, Mark W. That Body of Brave Men: The U.S. Regular Infantry and the Civil War in the West, 1861-1865. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, 2003. . pp. 242, 247 The brigade was formed on December 18, 1862, and placed under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Oliver Shepherd of the 18th United States Infantry Regiment in the division of Brigadier General Lovell H. Rousseau and the center corps or wing of Major General George H. Thomas.Johnson, 2003, pp. 255-257 The Regular Brigade was designated 4th Brigade, 3rd Division, Center (wing or corps).Johnson, 2003, p. 258 On December 25, 1862, the Regular Brigade had five battalions with a total of forty-three companies.Johnson, 2003, p. 261 On the next day, Rosecrans began to march his force from his base at Nashville toward Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where he intended to strike the Confederate Army of Tennessee commanded by General Braxton Bragg.Johnson, 2003, pp. 265-270
On the first day of the Battle of Stones River near Murfreesboro, December 31, 1862, Rosecrans and Bragg both intended to attack their opponent's right wing.Johnson, 2003, p. 270 The Confederates attacked first and drove back Major General Alexander McCook's right wing.Johnson, 2003, p. 272 Rousseau's division was Rosecrans's only reserve but he had to use them in the battle to stop the Union retreat on his right.Johnson, 2003, p. 274 Rousseau's forces formed to the right of Brigadier General Philip H. Sheridan's division which was holding the right side of the line while men of the units in retreat passed by.Johnson, 2003, p. 276 Captain Keteltas's E Company, 1st Battalion, 15th U.S. Infantry Regiment was in an advanced position across a cotton field and in front of isolated cedar trees and deployed as skirmishers while the rest of the regiment was back in the trees.Johnson, 2003, p. 277 Bugler William J. Carson later wrote that the skirmishers fell back to the trees in the face of an overwhelming Confederate attack. After holding for about 20 minutes, the regulars began to fall back quickly but with some of the men firing as they went. After the men had gone back about 100 yards, Keteltas ordered Carson to sound the rally. With this bugle call, many of the men turned and began to return the Confederate fire. At this time, Carson's cousin, Private William B. McCall, was killed.Johnson, 2003, pp. 277-278
The strong Confederate attack finally forced the regulars to withdraw from the woods toward the rear of their original position near a railroad line and the Nashville pike.Johnson, 2003, pp. 278-279 Carson later wrote that the advancing Confederate poured several volleys into the retreating regulars.Johnson, 2003, p. 280 The regulars rallied around a knoll and behind a 10-gun battery, five guns each of the 5th U.S. Artillery and the 1st Michigan Artillery.Johnson, 2003, p. 281 "On they came like so many deamonds," (sic) wrote Carson. Then he described how the Union guns decimated the charging Confederates and forced their survivors to retreat.Johnson, 2003, pp. 281-282 The 15th U.S. Infantry suffered 50 casualties among its 319 officers and men.Johnson, 2003, p. 282 Soon, the regulars realized they were being flanked on the left.Johnson, 2003, p. 283 Lt. Colonel Shepherd sent his men toward the crucial Nashville turnpike to meet the Confederate advance. The Confederates came on in great number. After sending two regiments to their aid, but realizing their position was about to be surrounded, Brigadier General Rousseau ordered the regulars to retreat.Johnson, 2003, p. 291 Finally, and only after their officers themselves recognized the danger, the Regular Brigade had to retreat across the open cotton field to the railroad line and the cover of their batteries on another nearby knoll as the Confederates again advanced in large numbers.Johnson, 2003, pp. 292-293 The regulars suffered many casualties as they retreated across the open field with the pursuing Confederates firing on them as they ran toward their objective.Johnson, 2003, p. 294
Carson was under fire and about halfway across the open cotton field during this withdrawal when he saw John Argo of his regiment wounded in both thighs. Carson lifted Argo from the ground and helped him escape across the remainder of the field, which saved Argo from possible death from his wounds or capture by the advancing Confederates.
The battle wound down and was broken off due to the cold, rainy weather and the exhaustion of the men but the two armies stayed in position on the battlefield.Johnson, 2003, p. 304 Bragg finally decided to withdraw from the field on January 3, 1863, because he feared Rosecrans was being reinforced.Johnson, 2003, p. 307 Rosecrans's force, including the regulars, were too exhausted to pursue the retreating Confederates, and also were hindered because the Confederates captured or destroyed much of the Union Army's food.