Elbert County GaArchives Obituary Lt. Thomas S. Carpenter, June 1864 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Transcribed by Chandler Eavenson 4 April 2006 Obituary Lt. Thomas S. Carpenter, June 1864 The following article appeared in the Elberton Star newspaper on 3 Oct 1990: "Bicentennial Minute - Elbert County Bicentennial Celebration, 1790-1990. "Died reading a paper - A young Civil War soldier from Elbert County was probably the only soldier who died during the Civil War while reading a newspaper. "The story of Lt. Thomas S. Carpenter's death was documented [by] Mrs. Lizzie Alberti of Fayette County, Ky., and is in the Kentucky State Archives. "Lt. Carpenter had taken part in the June 8, 1864 fight of Mt. Sterling, Ky., and was part of a confederate calvary unit that was being pursued by the Union forces. The fatal accident occurred while he was riding a captured horse and reading a newspaper at the same time. On a sudden jerk of the reins the horse reared and threw him back causing a 'concussion of the stomach.' "He was taken to the home of John Alberti nearby and did not recover consciousness for 12 hours. A doctor examined the soldier and decided that he could not live. Mrs. Alberti attended to his physical, as well as his spiritual needs.He died five days after he was injured and shortly before his death had Mrs. Alberti write these words to his mother. 'I died a soldier and want God for my captain now and want to join the Army above.' "Seventeen months after his death, Mrs. Alberti brought the body back to Elbert County so he could, as he had requested, be buried in Georgia. He was laid to rest at Concord Methodist." [Submitted by: Chandler Eavenson]