The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-04-03
SUICIDE OF NAVAL HERO
REAR ADMIRAL CHARLES c. CARPEN-
TER TAKES HIS OWN LIFE.
United States Officer Who Saw Forty
Six Years of Continuous and
Honorable Service.

BOSTON, April Rear Admiral Charles
c. Carpenter. L. S. N, retired, committed
suicide at a santarium in one of the SUBJ
urban districts of this city yesterday. The
admiral had been in i'll health for some
time. For the past six weeks he was an in
mate of the Adams Nervine Asylum, i'm the
Jamaica Plain district, and at the earnest
request of his family details have been with
held from the public He si,oc himself in the
head. For number OF years previous to his
retirement admiral Carpente- suffered
verely from nervous disorders AID soon aft
er being released from service went under
medical treatment He had apparently re-
covered, but six weeks ago there came a
relapse and he again placed in the
asylum. Again he seemed to improve and
the family had hope that he would be him
self again.
Charles c. Carpenter was born in Green
field, Mass, Feb q, 1884 He was appointed
a midshipman from this State Oct. l, 1870,
and was attached to the sloop Portsmouth,
of the Pacific squadron, from 1851 TO 1855.
He was in the Naval Academy from 1856 TO
1856 and was promoted TO passed midship-
man on June 20 of the latter year. After
leaving the Naval Academy he served on the
steam frigates Merrimac, Roanoke, Colo
rado and Dolphin, of the home squadron,
for two years and while on the Dolphin as
sisted in the capture of the slave brig Echo,
with 600 slaves aboard. After being made
lieutenant in 1858 he was attached 10 the
steamer Mohawk which captured the SLAYER
Wildfre off the coast Of Cuba, with 500
slaves on board. After the breaking out of
the war the Mohawk was placed i'm the
Texas and east gulf blockade, but Carpen-
ter was transferred in 1862 TO the steamer
Flag, of the South Atlantic squadron, and
on July 10 of that year was promoted TO
lieutenant commander. He next saw serv-
ice on the monitor Catskill, of the South
Atlantic blockading fleet. and was on board
during the operations and attacks upon the
defenses of Charleston on April Z, July 10
and Aug. II, 1865.
During the latter part of the war he was
at the Naval Academy and after the close
went to the Asiatic station with the sloop
Hartford, the flagship. HIS first command
was the steamer Wyoming, of the same
squadron. and after being on her year he
came back to this country and for two
years was stationed at the Portsmouth
navy yard, during which time he was COM
missioned commander. Sea duty alternated
with duty at Portsmouth for ten years fol-
lowing. In 1883 he was commander of the
Hartford which carried the English and
American eclipse expedition Of 1855 TO the
Caroline Atoll.
For three years-1SSS 70 1sSp-he COM
manded the receiving ship Wabash at the
Charlcstown navy yard, and in June OF the
latter year, was transferred to Portsmouth
as captain of the yard, and later as COM
mandant. He received his commission as
commodore in 1898 and as rear admiral a
year later. AS commander of the Asiatic
squadron il 1894 he many of the naval
movements of the Chino-Japanese war.
Under his orders was fired the first and only
shot by an American man-of-war at a CHI
nese ship. thereby enforcing demands OF this
government and ayerting the impending
breach of relations between the United
States and China. His action was com
mended by government.
Admiral Carpenter was retired In 1896
after forty-siA years of continuous and
honorable service, but during the Spanish
war was recalled from retirement to act as
comma ndant of the Portsmouth navy yard
in place of Commodore Remey who had
caster at Key West.
Admiral Carpenter leaves "A widow and
family, one being Assistant Surgeon Il.
NJ Carpenter who was on the Raleigh dur
ing the operations against Manila and who
has been transferred To the Olympia. An
other son is with the Cramp Ship building
Company and a tt.ird son lives with Mrs
Carpenter and her two daughters at Ports
mouth.