The record-union., 1899-04-03
REAR ADMIRAL CARPENTER,
HE COMMITTED SUICIDE AT
BOSTON YESTERDAY.
Career Of Gallant Sailor
in the American
Navy.

BOSTON, April 2.-Rear Admiral c.
c. Carpenter (retired) committed sun
eide yesterday in Sanitarium in this
city. Admiral Carpenter was called
from the retired list to active duty in
charge of the navy yard at Portsmouth,
N. H, during the war, while Commo-
dore Remey was on duty at Key West.
Admiral Carpenter had brilliant rec
ord
Admiral Carpenter, for the last six
weeks, was an inmate of the Adams
Asylum, in the Jamaica Plain District,
and at the earnest request of his fam
lily, details have been withheld from
the public. He shot himself in the
head.
For number of years previous to his
retirement, Admiral Carpenter suffered
severely from nervous disorders and
soon after being released from service
went under medical treatment. He
had apparently recovered, but six week.;
ago there came a relapse and he was
again placed in the asylum. Again he
seemed to improve and the family had
hopes that he would be himself again.
Charles Carpenter was born in Green
field, Mass, in 1884. He was appoint
and was attached to the sloop Ports
mouth of the Pacific squadron, from
1851 to 1855 He was in the Naval
Academy from 1855 to 1856 was pro-
NOTED to passed midshipman in the
latter year.
Later he served on. the steam frigates
Merrimac, Roanoke, Colorado and Dol
phin. He was made Lieutenant in
1853 and attached to the steamer Mo-
hawk, which captured the slaver Wild
fire off the coast of Cuba, with 500
slaves on board Carpenter was
transferred in 1862 to the steamer
Flag of the South Atlantic squadron,
and was soon promoted to Lieutenant
Commander He next saw service on
the monitor Catskill of the South At
.lantic blockading fleet, and was on
board during the operations and at
tacks upon the defenses of Charleston
in 1868. After the close of the war he
went to the Asiatic station with the
sloop Hartford.
His first command was the steamer
Wyoming on the same squadron, serv-
ing on her for one year and then re-
turning to this country. For two
years he was stationed at the Ports
mouth navy yard, during which time
he was Commander. Sea duty alter
mated with duty at Portsmouth for ten
years following. In 1888 he was Com
mander of the Hartford, which car
ried the English and American eclipse
expedition in 1883 to the Carolina Atoll.
From 1883 to 1890 he commanded the
ship Wabash at the Charleston navy
yard, finally being transferred to Ports
mouth as Captain of the yard and later
as Commandant He received his COM
mission as Commodore in 1883 and as
Rear Admiral a year later. AS Com
mander of the Asiatic squadron in 1894
he saw many of the naval movements
of the Chinese-Japanese war. Under his
orders was fired the first and only shot
by an American manof-war at a Chin
ese ship, thereby enforcing demands Of
this Government and averting the inn
pending breach of relations between
the United States and China His ac-
tion was commended by our Govern
ment
Admiral Carpenter was retired in
1886, but during the Spanish war was
recalled to act as Comm'andant of the
Portsmouth navy yard in place of
Commodore Remey.
Admiral Carpenter leaves a widow
and family. one son being assistant
surgeon in the navy