WALTER and WEBSTER CARTER -- 34thINFANTRYBROTHERS SEPARATED AT ANTIETAM - Walter and Webster Carter (Cartier)enlisted in the 34th Infantry in Champlain about 5 weeks afterLincoln's call for 75.000 men. They were assigned to Captain DavisRich's Company D that was made up of men who enlisted in the Town ofChamplain. The brothers were two of the 66 privates that were enrolledexpecting to serve for two years.The regiment went to Washington in July after organizing in Albany and,by September, they were patrolling along the Potomac west of thecapital.In April 1862, they started their journey up the Virginia Peninsula,heading toward Richmond in the Army of the Potomac under GeneralMcClellan. During May, June, and July they sustained over 150casualties. They stayed at Harrison's Landing until August 15th and inSeptember joined the Maryland Campaign.On September 17th they received 154 casualties at the battle ofAntietam including 98 wounded. Webster was wounded and eventually lostthe thumb on his right hand. He spent the next four months in hospitalin Philadelphia until he was discharged.Walter moved on with regiment which was ordered to Falmouth, VA, then.crossing the Rappahannock River, in December, they spent four daysfighting in Fredericksburg in the middle of the month and received 35more casualties.In May of 1863, just before the 34th mustered out, they participatedin the Battles of Marye's Heights and Salem Church receiving minorcasualties. The regiment returned to Albany and were mustered out onJune 30th.The sons of Ira Cartier and Charlotte Saxe spent the rest of their livesbetween New York, Vermont where their father was born and Quebec, theirmother's birthplace.
