Thomas Carleton

Thomas Carleton (c. 1735 – February 2, 1817), was born in Ireland to Christoper Carleton and his wife Catherine Ball. He was the younger brother of Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester. As part of a military family, Thomas joined the British Army at a young age. In 1753, he was an ensign in the 20th Regiment of Foot and saw action with his regiment during the Seven Years' War. After the conclusion of the Seven years War Thomas Carleton served as an observer during the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774.

In 1776, now a lieutenant colonel, he arrived in Quebec City to relieve his brother, Gen. Guy Carleton, the Governor General of Canada, who was besieged in the city by the Continental Army forces during the early days of the American Revolutionary War. With the death of Lt. Col. Patrick Gordon on July 25, 1776, Col. Carleton was promoted to command the 29th Regiment of Foot. In 1777, Thomas Carleton's nephew Christopher Carleton joined the 29th regiment. as a major and served under his uncle's command for the rest of the war. Col. Thomas Carleton did not get along very well with his new commander, Frederick Haldimand, who took over for Guy Carleton as Governor General of Canada so Thomas left for England.

In 1784, with his brother's recommendation, Col. Thomas Carleton was appointed as the 1st Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick. Here, he helped to re-settle the many Loyalists leaving the United States. Col. Thomas Carleton would serve as Governor of New Brunswick until his death on February 2, 1817, though from 1805 he lived in England.

Mount Carleton, the tallest mountain in New Brunswick, is named for him.

ources

*"The American Journals of Lt. John Enys", John Enys and Elizabeth Cometti (editor), Syracuse University Press 1976
*"Travels Through the Interior Parts of America 1776-1781 Volumes 1 and 2", Thomas Anburey, Houghton Mifflin Company 1923
*"The Burning of the Valleys", Gavin K. Watt, Dundurn Press 1997
*"Carleton's Raid", Ida H. Washington and Paul A. Washington, Cherry Tree Books 1977

External links

* [http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=2311 Biography at "the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online"]
* [http://www.wyrdlight.com/nately/nately.html St Swithuns Church Nately Scures England - showing Memorial for Guy Carleton, Governor of Quebec & Thomas Carleton Governor of New Brunswick]