Carr, Joseph Bradford, 1828-1895

Hide Profile

Carr was born in Albany, New York, the son of Irish immigrants, and worked as a tobacconist. While living in Troy, New York, he became interested in military affairs and by 1861 was a colonel in the New York militia.

At the start of the war, Carr was instrumental in the recruitment of the 2nd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment and was appointed its colonel on May 14, 1861. Assigned to Fort Monroe, Virginia, the regiment took part in the engagement at Big Bethel. Carr served in the Army of the Potomac throughout the Peninsula Campaign and Seven Days Battles as well as the Northern Virginia Campaign. As a brigade commander in the III Corps, General Carr participated in the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville (commanding a division during a part of the latter after the death of Hiram Berry).

Carr was promoted to brigadier general on September 7, 1862, for gallantry at Malvern Hill, but this promotion was plagued by procedural difficulties. His first appointment was returned to the president on February 12, 1863. He was reappointed on March 30, 1863, but the United States Senate failed to confirm the commission in the session in which he was nominated and it expired on March 30, 1864. He was renominated on April 9, 1864, and confirmed on June 30, 1864, with a date of rank of March 30, 1863.

He was distinguished for gallantry at Gettysburg, where he was wounded and his men stubbornly held their ground near the Peach Orchard. He commanded the 3rd Division of III Corps in the autumn campaigns of 1863. Because of the difficulties with his brigadier general appointment, he was technically junior to his own subordinate brigade commanders and on May 2, 1864, Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant reassigned Carr to the Army of the James under Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler. Carr commanded a division of African-American soldiers in the XVIII Corps and briefly commanded the Defenses of Yorktown in the Department of Virginia and North Carolina. On March 13, 1865, Carr was appointed a brevet major general of volunteers, and he was mustered out of the volunteer service on August 24.

After the close of the war, Carr became a manufacturer in Troy, New York, then a Republican politician for New York State. He served as Secretary of State of New York from 1880 to 1885, elected in 1879, 1881, and 1883. In 1885, he ran on the Republican ticket for Lieutenant Governor of New York with Ira Davenport, but was defeated by Democrat Edward F. Jones. Carr died in Troy, New York, and is buried there in Oakwood Cemetery.

Actress Laura Prepon is his great-great-great granddaughter.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Philip Case Lockwood memorial collection of Civil War portraits and autographs, 1862-ca. 1886. Houghton Library
creatorOf Sickles, Daniel Edgar, 1819-1895. Letters, [ca. 1882]-1890, New York, to Gen. Joseph B. Carr. Brown University Archives, John Hay Library
referencedIn William Leete Stone Sr. and Jr. Collection, 1824-1894 University of Virginia. Library. Special Collections Dept.
referencedIn Photographic Portrait File The Huntington Library
referencedIn Century Company records New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1984 Series: Carded Records Relating to Civil War Staff Officers, 1890 - 1912 File Unit: Carr, Joseph B. -- Brigadier General National Archives at Washington, D.C
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part I: The Revolution and the Administration, 1669-1958. Houghton Library
creatorOf Carr, Joseph Bradford, 1828-1895. Autograph letter signed : Wilson's Wharf, Virginia, unaddressed, 1865 Jan. 30. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part III: The Civil War: The Union, 1804-1915. Houghton Library
creatorOf Stone family. Papers of the Stone family, 1824-1894. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part III: The Civil War: The Union, 1804-1915. Houghton Library
Role Title Holding Repository
contributorOf Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1984 Series: Letters Received, 1863 - 1917 File Unit: Consolidated Military Officer's File of J B Carr, North Carolina, 1864 National Archives at Washington, D.C
contributorOf Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1984 Series: Letters Received, 1863 - 1917 File Unit: Carr, J B - State: New York - Year: 1866 National Archives at Washington, D.C
contributorOf Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1984 Series: Letters Received, 1863 - 1917 File Unit: Carr, Joseph B - Virginia - 1863 National Archives at Washington, D.C
contributorOf Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1984 Series: Letters Received, 1863 - 1917 File Unit: Carr, Joseph B - New York - 1863 National Archives at Washington, D.C
contributorOf Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1984 Series: Letters Received, 1805 - 1889 File Unit: 1865 - Carr, J B - File No. C705 National Archives at Washington, D.C
referencedIn Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1984 Series: Indexes to the Carded Records of Soldiers Who Served in Volunteer Organizations During the Civil War, 1899 - 1927 File Unit: [New York] Carr, Joseph B - Unit: 2nd Infantry, Company: F&S - Enlistment Rank: Col, Discharge Rank: Col National Archives at Washington, D.C
contributorOf Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1984 Series: Letters Received, 1805 - 1889 File Unit: 1864 - Carr, J B - File No. C1539 National Archives at Washington, D.C
contributorOf Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1984 Series: Letters Received, 1863 - 1917 File Unit: Consolidated Military Officer's File of Jos B Carr, District of Columbia, 1864 National Archives at Washington, D.C
contributorOf Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1984 Series: Letters Received, 1805 - 1889 File Unit: 1865 - Carr, J B - File No. C869 National Archives at Washington, D.C
contributorOf Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1984 Series: Letters Received, 1863 - 1917 File Unit: Consolidated Military Officer's File of Joseph B Carr, District of Columbia, 1864 National Archives at Washington, D.C
contributorOf Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1984 Series: Letters Received, 1805 - 1889 File Unit: 1865 - Carr, J B - File No. C50 National Archives at Washington, D.C
contributorOf Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1984 Series: Letters Received, 1805 - 1889 File Unit: 1865 - Carr, J B - File No. C562 National Archives at Washington, D.C
Place Name Admin Code Country
Troy NY US
Albany NY US
Fort Monroe VA US
Yorktown VA US
Chancellorsville VA US
Gettysburg PA US
Fredericksburg VA US
Henrico County VA US
Hanover County VA US
Subject
Big Bethel, Battle of, Va., 1861
Chancellorsville, Battle of, Chancellorsville, Va., 1863
Civil War, 1861-1865
Fredericksburg, Battle of, Fredericksburg, Va., 1862
Gettysburg, Battle of, Gettysburg, Pa., 1863
Peninsula Campaign, 1862
Republican Party (New York)
Seven Days' Battles, Va., 1862
Occupation
Manufacturer
Politicians
Soldiers
Activity

Person

Birth 1828-08-16

Death 1895-02-24

Male

Americans

English

Information

Permalink: http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6ht5z24

Ark ID: w6ht5z24

SNAC ID: 51844169