Col Samuel CARLETON^[1]

1731 - 1804  (72 years)

• Name	Samuel CARLETON
  Prefix	Col
  Born	11 Aug 1731	Salem, Essex, Massachusetts
  Gender	Male
  Noteworthy	Served at Valley Forge & Ticonderoga
  Health	Paralyzed from war
  Census	1790	Salem, Essex, Massachusetts
  Military Note	Samuel was a Colonel in the Revolutionary War, and returned from the Army paralytic and very much enfeebled. Washington pronounced him one of his most intrepid officers under him —— At the time of the Battle of Bunker Hill he was in England, but on receipt of the news hastened home. His indignation was such that arriving at his home he removed the panes of glass in one of his parlor windows and substituted wooden ones, upon which was painted "This pays no tax." Another anecdote of this patriot describes his determination to raise a company for the army; he employed a drummer to drum from the lower end of the town to "Buffum's corner," hoping thus to recruit his company. Having failed in his project he ordered the man to drum a dirge on the homeward march. But he at length did raise a company. This company he drilled in his own house and started for the seat of war. He was soon advanced to the rank of Lieut. Colonel in which capacity he served at Ticonderoga and Valley Forge where he distinguished himself by great courage. His sufferings at Valley Forge were so severe that he was incapacitated from further service. He returned to Salem and was an invalid the remainder of his life. —— To George Washington from Samuel Carleton, 12 February 1790 From Samuel Carleton Salem: Mass: 12th February 1790 May it Please your Highness It was my great Misfortune, not to be in a Condition to see you when you honourd this our town with a Visit.1 My Situation is, & has been for upwards of Twelve months, Confined to my bed, having lost the use of my Limbs, all which the Honorable B: Goodhue Esqr. can Verify; who I Expect will be Kind Enough to hand this to your Highness. The purport hereof is to lay my Grievances & present unhappy Circumstances before you—Vizt— At the time I quited the Army in April 1779, I was Intitled to a years pay as a Supernumery officer, my being confined by Sickness in an Hospital, put it out of my power to Claim or demand it at the proper time, & therefore the Commissr for Setling the Army Accots wrote me that he Could not pay me, but by being Subject to a Depreciation during the time it lay in the paymasters hands & before he returnd it back to the Millitary Chest. At the time I was ordered to March with the troops & Bagage from this Town to Ticonderoga, to Suport the army under General Montgomery, I paid & Expended on the army, & Transporting the Bagage, the Sum of £150.16, besides Sundry Stores, Such as rum, Suggar, Coffee &c. which were Consumed on our March, & which Cost me £45.3.02d. out of which Colo. Brewer paid me £120—so that the remainder is Still due to me. when I set out with the army for Ticonderoga I suplyd myself with all necessary Clothing, Implements of War &c., to fit me for the Service, which Cost me £106.1.2, all which were taken by the Enemy at Ticonderoga—all these demands put together would now under my dismal Circumstances, relieve myself, wife and Seven Children. I have no Connections or Acquaintance with the Gentlemen in Public Service, and therefore hope your Highness will be pleased to take my Situation into Consideration, & order such relief as to your Highness Shall Seem meet. with these hopes I ventured to address myself to your Highness with all Due Defference to your Exalted Station, Humbly to Implore your Condesention to notice me thus far as to order me payment or So much thereof as may afford me Some Support. May God long preserve you Highness a Saviour to this Country in as Illustrious a manner as you have been its Deliverer is the prayer, of your Highnesses most, Obedient & most Humble Servant2 Saml Carleton ALS, DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters. Samuel Carleton (Carlton; 1731–1804) was appointed lieutenant colonel of the 12th Massachusetts Regiment on 6 Nov. 1776. According to Francis Heitman’s Register, he was “deranged” from the army in September 1778 (Heitman, 116). After the war Carleton returned to Salem where he spent the remainder of his life as a semi-invalid. 1. GW visited Salem on 28 and 29 Oct. 1789 during his New England tour. See Diaries, 5:483, 484–85. 2. Lear replied to Carleton on 6 Mar. 1790: “The President of the United States has received your letter of the 12th of February; and in obedience to his command I have to inform you that it is out of the line of his official duty to take any part in the settlement of Accounts—and altho’ he sympathizes with those who still feel the distresses occasioned by the late War; particularly where they were brought on by their exertions in behalf of their Country—and would experience a singular happiness in knowing that their losses were retrieved & sufferings were at an end—yet the impropriety of his interfering in any degree with the claims of Individuals upon the public is too obvious to escape observation, to say nothing of the impractacability of his attending to all the applications which would appear equally meritorious” (DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters). On 17 Mar. 1790 a petition from Carleton was presented in the House of Representatives “Praying relief in consideration of losses or injuries sustained in the service of the United States during the late war.” The House referred the petition to Secretary of War Henry Knox who reported on 18 May. The House ordered the report to “lie on the table” (DHFC, 3:333, 415).  [2]
  Military Event	American Revolution - Raided a rest at Salem; was paralyzed during duty at Valley Forge  [3]
  Served American Revolution?	Y
  Military Flag	Y
  Cause of Death	Palsy (paralysis and tremors)
  Buried	1804	Howard Street Burying Ground, Salem, Massachusetts   [4]
  Died	28 Mar 1804	Salem, Essex, Massachusetts
  Person ID	I37764	Main
  Last Modified	28 Oct 2023

  
  

  Father	Col Samuel CARLETON,   b. 3 Jun 1696, Andover, Essex, Massachusetts ,   d. 9 Mar 1767, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts  (Age 70 years)
  Mother	Deborah STEVENS,   d. ?
  Married	20 Jun 1726	Andover, Essex, Massachusetts
  Family ID	F12908	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Eunice HUNT,   b. 1730,   d. 12 Aug 1827, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts  (Age 97 years)
  Married	27 Oct 1754	Salem, Essex, Massachusetts
  Children	1. Benjamin CARLTON,   b. 5 Jun 1765, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts ,   d. 8 Sep 1820, at the workhouse, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts  (Age 55 years)   2. Eunice CARLTON,   b. 22 Dec 1754, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts ,   d. 16 Mar 1848  (Age 93 years)   3. Mary CARLTON,   b. 29 Aug 1767, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts ,   d. 18 Dec 1814, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts  (Age 47 years)   4. Samuel CARLTON,   b. 6 May 1757, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts   5. Deborah CARLTON,   b. 17 Dec 1759, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts   6. Hannah CARLTON,   b. 5 Sep 1762, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts ,   d. 7 Sep 1842, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts  (Age 80 years)   7. John CARLTON,   b. 6 Nov 1770, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts ,   d. 12 Aug 1847, Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania  (Age 76 years)   8. Elizabeth CARLTON,   b. 6 May 1773, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts ,   d. 29 Mar 1859  (Age 85 years)
  Last Modified	28 Oct 2023
  Family ID	F13076	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map		Born - 11 Aug 1731 - Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Married - 27 Oct 1754 - Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Census - 1790 - Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Died - 28 Mar 1804 - Salem, Essex, Massachusetts  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Notes

  In Union Street, Salem, stands a house boasting three stories, and capped with a pitched roof with narrow eaves. This house was built and occupied by Mr., afterward Colonel Samuel Carlton.

  
  

• Sources

  [S117] CARLETON Carr, Andrue (Andrew) of Martha's Vineyard, Ma, Andrue Carleton Carr. [S241] Misc, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-05-02-0075. [S24] Daughters of the American Revolution, A019198. [S96] Find a Grave, database and images, 9446942.