Edward Carrington (February 11, 1748 – October 28, 1810) was a lawyer, planter, Continental Army officer and politician from central Virginia. During the American Revolutionary War he became a close friend of George Washington. Although his highest rank was lieutenant colonel of artillery in the Continental Army, Carrington distinguished himself as quartermaster general in General Nathanael Greene’s southern campaign. He commanded artillery at Monmouth and Yorktown. He was also present at Cowpens, Guilford Court House, and Hobkirk's Hill. Carrington also served in the 3rd Continental Congress and several times in the Virginia House of Delegates, and later became the first US Marshal appointed from his state and served a term as mayor of Richmond, Virginia. He was an original member of the Society of the Cincinnati.

Carrington was born on February 11, 1748, on his father's Boston Hill Plantation near the town of Cartersville in future Cumberland County, Virginia. He was the eighth of 11 children of George Carrington and Anne Mayo. His father arrived in Virginia in 1727 from Barbados and married Anne around 1732 when he was 21 and she was 20. He became a wealthy planter, served in the House of Burgesses (1752-1765), the Virginia House of Delegates (1778-1781;1783) and held local offices. Edward's oldest brother Paul Carrington also served in the Virginia General Assembly before becoming an eminent jurist.

After returning from Barbados, where he had collected part of an inheritance on his father's behalf, Carrington read law and in 1773 was admitted to the Virginia bar in Cumberland County. Carrington opened a law practice, and also helped his father (who died in February 1785 as did his wife) manage a plantation which operated at least in part using enslaved labor.

In 1775–76 Carrington became a member of the Goochland County Revolutionary Committee. On December 1, 1775, the state of Virginia established an artillery company. On February 13, 1776, state authorities appointed James Innes the captain and Charles Harrison, Samuel Denney, and Carrington as lieutenants. The Continental Congress accepted the artillery unit into the Continental Army, on March 19 and requested a second company from Virginia to be formed. Innes soon transferred to the infantry.

In late 1776, George Washington ordered his artillery chief Henry Knox to begin organizing three artillery regiments to support the Continental Army. Harrison's Continental Artillery Regiment was authorized on 26 November 1776 and assigned to the Southern Department. The regiment was to expand from the two existing companies to a total of ten companies. Harrison was appointed the regiment's colonel while Carrington became lieutenant colonel and second in command. Each company consisted of four officers, one sergeant, four corporals, four bombardiers, eight gunners, and 48 matrosses. The regiment garrisoned Virginia during 1777.

On March 13, 1778, Harrison's Regiment was transferred to the main army. Carrington performed with distinction in the Battle of Monmouth on June 28. Beginning in the early afternoon and continuing for two hours, 10–14 American field guns dueled with eight British cannons and two howitzers. Carrington's guns were placed on the American left flank under William Alexander, Lord Stirling's command. On August 10, 1779, Harrison's Regiment was renamed the 1st Continental Artillery Regiment. In March 1780, Carrington served with Arthur St. Clair, and Alexander Hamilton as commissioners for a prisoner exchange.

On April 17, 1780, the 1st Artillery Regiment was assigned to the Southern Department. Carrington was sent south in command of three artillery companies with Johann de Kalb's forces. Harrison unexpectedly joined De Kalb and assumed command of the gunners when the force reached North Carolina, leaving Carrington unemployed. On July 25, Horatio Gates superseded De Kalb in command and gave Carrington a new assignment. Gates ordered him to investigate the best points to cross the Roanoke River for supplying the American forces and finding the best retreat routes. The American army led by Gates was smashed in the Battle of Camden on August 16, 1780.

Nathanael Greene assumed command of the American southern army on December 3. The new leader ordered Carrington to continue reconnoitering possible routes of withdrawal, an action that historian Mark M. Boatner III wrote would "prove decisive". Greene split his army into three parts: 600 led by Daniel Morgan, 1,100 under Isaac Huger at Cheraw, South Carolina, and light troops commanded by "Light Horse" Harry Lee. Greene appointed Carrington the quartermaster general. At that time there was no money in the military chest, yet the army was kept supplied. Among his new duties was an examination of the Dan River which is the southern branch of the Roanoke. Lee later wrote a glowing account of Carrington's successful execution of this duty.