Officer, Artillerist · Confederate
Francis Huger Harleston
? – 1863
Captain of the 1st South Carolina Artillery, mortally wounded inspecting the obstructions on the exterior slope of Fort Sumter.
Several Harlestons appear in the Charleston directories of the period. None has yet been connected to this officer by evidence, and no address is claimed for him here.
Charleston
Elliott had asked three days earlier that Harleston be kept at Fort Sumter through the dark of the moon, being greatly dependent upon his watchfulness and ability. At half-past four on the morning of 24 November 1863 a sentinel reported that the sea was tearing away the obstructions on the eastern slope; Harleston went over the crest to inspect the line and was mortally wounded by a 30-pounder shell. He died six hours later, before his twenty-fourth birthday.
Service
- Captaincommissioned1st South Carolina Artillery, artillery · Confederate armyuntil 24 November 1863Fort SumterJohnson 1890
Each rank is the rank held at the time described. A later promotion is shown only in its own dated entry.
Places
Died at Fort Sumter
24 November 1863 · confirmed
Burial
Not yet documented.
What is established, and on whose authority
- verifiedCaptain, 1st South Carolina Artillery, of the Fort Sumter garrison.Johnson 1890
- verifiedElliott asked on 21 November 1863 that he be kept at the fort through the dark of the moon.Johnson 1890
- verifiedMortally wounded by a 30-pounder shell on the eastern exterior slope at half-past four on the morning of 24 November 1863, and died six hours later.Johnson 1890
- verifiedDied before his twenty-fourth birthday.Johnson 1890
- not establishedDate and place of birth.no source
- not establishedBurial place.no source
Identity: verified. Last checked 31 August 2026.
Corrections to this record are welcome through the publisher.