Thomas G. Carroll was born in Newry, Ireland on March 4, 1832 before immigrating to America and joining the Union First Regiment of Artillery in 1857. Attached to Company "E" (or "H"), he was present at at the Battle of Fort Sumter, under Major Robert Anderson in April 1861. He remained in the Army of the Potomac throughout the Civil War, where his unit's legacy was to have fired the first shot of war and the very last one as well.
After the war, he and his family relocated to Pensacola on November 9, 1873 where he finished his career upon his death at Ft. Pickens as an ordnance sergeant. His wife Mary E. Ryan (1836 Maryland) and six children lived with home at the fort. He was survived by his wife Mary and his sons Peter (1856 South Caroline), Thomas Jr. (1859-1928), John C. (1871-1927), William (1870 New York) and daughters Alice (1872 New York), and Mary (1878 Florida). His son John C. Carroll was employed at Ft. Barrancas as an engineer when he was fatally injured at the age of 56-years old.
Thomas was buried at Barrancas National Cemetery after his death October 12, 1896 at which time his wife Mary filed for a widow's pension (dated February 1, 1897) with the federal government. She would join Thomas in death July 15, 1918 and was buried at his side.
Pensacola News Journal 10-13-1896
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