William Carleton

Brother of Guy 1st Lord Dorchester.

(Carleton, Guy, 1st Baron Dorchester (1724-1808), British soldier and administrator, born in Strabane, Ireland. Carleton entered the British army in 1742 and went to Canada in 1758 to serve as an officer in the French and Indian War. After the war ended, he was appointed lieutenant governor of Lower Canada (now Québec Province) in 1766 and was appointed governor in 1768. He was also placed in command of all British troops in Canada during the American Revolution. Carleton defended Québec successfully against the American attack in December 1775. The next year, he drove the Americans out of Canada and defeated the American general Benedict Arnold in a battle on Lake Champlain. In 1777 Carleton was succeeded as commander in Canada by General John Burgoyne, but five years later Carleton became commander in chief of British forces in America during the period of their evacuation. For his services, he was created Baron Dorchester and was commissioned governor of all British possessions in Canada in 1786.

"Carleton, Guy, 1st Baron Dorchester," Microsoft (R) Encarta. Copyright (c) 1994 Microsoft Corporation. Copyright (c) 1994 Funk & Wagnall's Corporation.)

William was an ensign in Colonel Mordant's or Amstrong's Regiment of foot. Later the 18th Royal Irish. He was later a Captain.

He and his wife had seven children.

William and Anne and four of their children were drowned in 1753 whilst on passage to Ireland. A daughter and two sons survived (William and Christopher).