Thomas Carmichael (b. 1831 - d. 1916)
MSA SC 3520-5996
USCT Soldier, Kent County, Maryland
Biography:
Note: These are excerpts from the biographies on Thomas Carmichael's life. Two extensive biographies written by Washington College students are accessible on this page. Please consult the attached essays for a more complete and descriptive case study.
Thomas Carmichael, full name George Washington Thomas Carmichael, was born in Talbot County, Maryland on November 25, 1831 to Peter and Matilda Carmichael.1 Thomas was born free, as his name is listed in the United States Census record for 1860 and he is documented as having freedom papers, which list him as born free.2 At some point, Thomas went north to Chestertown to find work, as a sailor.3 Possibly leaving his parents in Talbot County, or they traveled along with him and lived outside of Chestertown. Around the late 1850s, Thomas met Alphonsa Sheppard, and changed professions to laborer so that he could stay in Chestertown to be near her. They were married under the old way, called the “old constitution” which was an informal system of marriage that came from slavery.4 They would essentially be husband and wife, but not with a ceremony or a government granted license, but with a mutual consent to live together and be accepted by the community.5
By deciding to stay in Chestertown, Thomas needed freedom papers to move around freely without being suspected of being a slave, though he was born free. In order to obtain his papers, Thomas did work as a laborer and was possibly employed by Anna M. LeEarle, a white woman who helped sign for him to receive his papers on May 22, 1855.6 It might have been difficult to find work in Chestertown as an African, and so Thomas probably did not have enough money to purchase land so he and Alphonsa lived with her Mother, Eliza Robinson.7 Who interestingly enough owned an estate worth 200 dollars and 50 dollars in personal estate, and was also a school teacher.8 Eliza taught Alphonsa how to read and write and also taught Thomas, and then later on taught their son George B.
Thomas enlisted for three years into the 9th Regiment Infantry United States Colored Troops on January 17, 1864, at the age of 32.9 Before Thomas actually served in the army, he was promoted to Commissary Sergeant on January 18, and was mustered in five days later.10 The 9th Regiment stayed there from November 11th to 30th, gaining colored men who wanted to join the army.11 From January to early March, the Regiment trained and did drills until they were ordered to Port Royal, South Carolina.12 From early March until late June the regiment remained at Port Royal until late June when the venture to John’s Island, South Carolina began.13 It was on the night of August 16, 1864 that Thomas Carmichael was marching and walked into a deep rut, which injured his left ankle. His injury happened after the first day of the Battle of Fussel’s Mills, Virginia also known as the Second Battle of Deep Bottom, which Thomas participated in.14
When Thomas became injured, Joseph Whaley, from the same regiment took him back to camp in his Commissary Wagon.15 After this point the 9th regiment becomes quite stale and is removed from battle until April of 1865 when the regiment was present during a glorious entry into Richmond.16 After the battle, they traveled to the Bermuda Front and then to the trenches in front of Petersburg, Virginia.17 The 9th Regiment next saw action in late September, when they took part in the assault on Fort Gilmer, in Richmond.18 The regiment then traveled to Texas, New Orleans, and then Louisiana all before returning to Maryland in 1866.19 Thomas Carmichael was then discharged from the army as a private on November 26, 1866, in New Orleans, Louisiana.20 He then makes his way back home to Chestertown.
Even though Thomas was demoted down to a private, he still was getting paid from the military and from his last payment, $300 on April 6, 1867; he used it to buy land in Chestertown.21 When Thomas found land that he could afford, he purchases it at $100 from Jacob and Kitty Toomy, who were free Africans.22 The census of 1870 has Thomas Carmichael home in Chestertown with his wife, Alphonsa, his mother-in-law Eliza Robinson, and the five children: George, 10, Edward, 8, David, 6, Benjamin, 4, and Mary, 1.23 In 1880 Thomas Carmichael is now living with William T. Demby, his wife P. Elizabeth Demby, and son William T. Demby in Chestertown.24
Carmichael, along with four others (Perry H. Landon, Nelson Reed, William H. Barrett, William Wesley Broadway), was named trustee to the property of the Charles Sumner Grand Army of the Republic Post No. 25.25 The other trustees were all soldiers and each wanted to have a place which would aid in the convention and connection of the soldiers in Kent County. The Sumner Post was founded in 1908, used as a common ground for African American Soldiers to convene together.26 The post was named after an antislavery senator from Massachusetts, Charles Sumner, who strongly stood on the side of the abolition of slavery.27
Thomas Carmichael’s death came in 1916 at the age of 85.28 Carmichael lived through 22 presidents, the bloodiest war our country has ever known, and the enslavement of his people to see freedom. Though Carmichael was a small town guy who was free before the time of war and came home to a family and house, he fought for those who weren't free and was even apart of creating connections with those whom we fough with by helping with the establishing of the Sumner Post in Chestertown, MD.
For extended biographies written and shared by Washington College students enrolled in the course "Chestertown's America" HIST 394, Spring 2013, taught by Adam Goodheart, please follow these links:
"The Ever Not-so famous Thomas Carmichael" by Molly K. Gallagher
Thomas Carmichael by Ashley Beavers
Return to Thomas Carmichael's Introductory Page
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