★★★ Carrington, Henry Alexander

Henry Alexander Carrington​

Born: September 13, 1832

Birthplace: Richmond, Virginia

Father: Henry Carrington 1793 – 1867

Mother: Louisa Elizabeth Cabell 1798 – 1865

Wife: Charlotte Elizabeth Cullen 1834 – 1889

(Buried: Village Church Cemetery, Charlotte Court House, Virginia)​

Children:

Louise Cabell Carrington Leigh 1856 – 1930​

(Buried: Green Hill Cemetery, Danville, Virginia)​

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William Cabell Carrington 1858 – 1917​

(Buried: Village Church Cemetery, Charlotte Court House, Virginia)​

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John Cullen Carrington 1860 – 1917​

(Buried: Village Church Cemetery, Charlotte Court House, Virginia)​

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Henry Longstreet Carrington 1863 – 1888​

(Buried: Village Church Cemetery, Charlotte Court House, Virginia)​

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Alfred Randolph Carrington 1865 – 1935​

(Buried: Presbyterian Cemetery, Lynchburg, Virginia)​

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Otelia M. Carrington Cunningham 1868 – 1934​

(Buried: Cunningham Family Cemetery Cunningham North Carolina)​

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Matthew Barbour Carrington 1869 – 1903​

(Buried: Village Church Cemetery, Charlotte Court House, Virginia)​

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Florence Anderson Carrington Stevens 1872 – 1937​

(Buried: Spring Hill Cemetery, Lynchburg, Virginia)​

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Charlotte Carrington Cunningham 1873 – 1930​

(Buried: Salem Cemetery, Winston Salem, North Carolina)​

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George Gilmer Carrington 1875 – 1893​

(Buried: Village Church Cemetery, Charlotte Court House, Virginia)​

Education:

1851: Graduated from Virginia Military Institute​

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Attended University of Virginia Law School​

Occupation before War:

Attorney in Richmond, Virginia​

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Served in Virginia State Militia, rising to the rank of Colonel​

Civil War Career:

1861 – 1864: Lt. Colonel of 18th​ Virginia Infantry Regiment​

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1862: Wounded in the Battle of Seven Pines, Virginia​

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1863: Wounded and Captured during Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg​

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1863 – 1864: Prisoner of War held at Johnson's Island Union Prison​

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1864: Exchanged in the Prisoner of War exchange on March 3rd​​

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1864 – 1865: Colonel of 18th​ Virginia Infantry Regiment​

Occupation after War:

Charlotte County, Virginia, Clerk of Court​

Died: January 22, 1885

Place of Death: Charlotte, Court House, Virginia

Age at time of Death: 52 years old

Original Burial Place: Shockoe Hill Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia

Burial Place: Village Church Cemetery Charlotte, Court House, Virginia

 

[nc native]

During Pickett's Charge, Lt. Colonel Carrington was probably the last man to carry the flag of the 18th Virginia that day. The color guard had been shot down during the charge and Carrington picked up the flag himself and carried it to the wall before he was wounded and the flag was captured by an officer from the 59th NY Infantry. The 18th Virginia was front and center in Pickett's Division and Garnett's Brigade as it charged Cemetery Hill. The 18th Virginia had about a 75% casualty rate among the 312 men of that regiment who were at Gettysburg.

 

[gentlemanrob]

Remembering the Officers at Gettysburg! Salutes goes to Thanks Colonel Henry A. Carrington for your service in the Confederate Cause.

 

[Pollaco]

Robert Lewis Dabney served briefly as chaplain for Carrington's regiment until he became Stonewall Jackson's chief of staff.

 

[nc native]

The 18th Virginia acquired the name Old Ironsides according to the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. It was credited with the breakthrough in Porter's line at Gaines Mill along with Hood's Brigade in the Records. The 18th Virginia suffered 119 casualties at Gaines Mill. It was at this battle that their colonel at the time Robert Withers was badly wounded resulting in his retirement later in 1862 and Lt. Colonel Carrington's appointment to his position after Carrington recovered from a shoulder wound he suffered in the same battle.

The 18th Virginia was also commended by General P.T. Beauregard in his official report on the First Battle of Manassas for their work in capturing a battery of Union rifled cannon and turning the guns on the enemy and firing them as the enemy retreated.