A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Carter, Thomas Wren
CARTER. (Captain, 1831. f-p., 21; h-p., 26.)
Thomas Wren Carter, born in Nov. 1789, is fourth son of the late Wm. Carter, Esq., a magistrate for co. Hants.
This officer entered the Navy, 29 March, 1800, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Warrior 74, Capt. Chas. Tyler, under whom he attained the rating of Midshipman 8 Sept. 1800, was present, 2 April, 1801, in the battle of Copenhagen, and then visited Jamaica. Between July, 1802, and April, 1806, he next served, on the Channel and Irish stations, in the Constance 24, and Blanche 36, both commanded by Capt. Zachary Mudge, Topaze 38, Capt. Willoughby Thos. Lake, Dryad 36, Capt. John Giffard, and Hibernia 120, flag-ship in succession of Lord Gardner, Vice-Admiral John Leigh Douglas, and Earl St. Vincent, part of the force under Hon. Wm. Cornwallis, in his pursuit of the French fleet into Brest, 22 Aug. 1805. On 18 April, 1806, a few days after passing his examination, Mr. Carter was promoted into the Halifax 26, Capt. Lord Jas. Townshend, in which ship we find him serving, as First Lieutenant, on the North American station, until 14 Nov. 1808. On being subsequently appointed, 12 May, 1809, to the St. Domingo 74, bearing the flag of Sir Rich. John Strachan, he accompanied the expedition to the Walcheren, and was there very hotly engaged with the batteries off Flushing. From 11 Nov. 1811, to 7 Sept. 1813, he was further employed in the Arethusa 38, Shark 18, Argo 44, and Bedford 74, a great part of the time as Flag-Lieutenant, under Vice-Admiral Chas. Stirling, Commander-in-Chief at Jamaica, whence, after holding for a brief period the acting-command of the Moselle sloop, in which he was superseded by Sir John Borlase Warren, he returned to England. He remained thenceforward on half-pay until within a few months of his being confirmed, 14 July, 1815, in the command of the Emulous 16, on the same station, where he next joined, 16 Feb. 1816, the Carnation 18. After an unemployed interval of two years and a half, Capt. Carter obtained, 17 Nov. 1818, an appointment to the Wasp 18, and, on returning to the West Indies, captured the Venezuelan sloop-of-war El Libertador, bearing the broad pendant of Commodore Chitty, and a Spanish brigantine, her prize. He paid the Wasp off 12 Aug. 1820; attained Post-rank 25 April, 1831; and was afterwards appointed, 27 Nov. 1837, and 18 Aug. 1841, to the successive command, in North America and the West Indies, of the Vestal 26, and Winchester 50. Since 4 March, 1842, he has been again on half-pay.
Capt. Carter married, 17 Aug. 1820, Harriet Jane, eldest daughter of the late Admiral Sir Archibald Collingwood Dickson, Bart., and sister of Commander A. C. T. Dickson, by whom he has issue two sons and three daughters. Agents – Messrs. Ommanney.