Officer, Artillerist · Confederate

John C. Mitchel

? – 1864

Captain of the 1st South Carolina Artillery, commanding Fort Sumter when he was killed on the ramparts, aged twenty-four.

Charleston

Mitchel was in South Carolina service from the beginning: at Fort Moultrie in April 1861, in the capture of the Isaac Smith, and in command of the works at the south end of Morris Island when the Federals came across Lighthouse Inlet. He commanded Fort Sumter from 4 May 1864 and was killed there on 20 July, the fourteenth day of the third great bombardment, struck on the ramparts by a fragment of a mortar shell that burst eighty feet above the water while he was observing the fleet.

Life

The son of the Irish patriot and exile John Mitchel, with whom he had shared the life in Australia.

He was twenty-four. His promotion to major had been recommended and was daily expected, and never came.

Service

  1. Captaincommissioned1st South Carolina Artillery, artillery · Confederate armyApril 1861 to July 1863Morris IslandJohnson 1890
  2. Captaincommissioned1st South Carolina Artillery, artillery · Confederate army4 May 1864 to 20 July 1864Fort SumterJohnson 1890

Each rank is the rank held at the time described. A later promotion is shown only in its own dated entry.

Places

  • Stationed at Morris Island

    until July 1863 · high confidence

    EvidenceCommanded the works at the south end of the island when the Federals came across Lighthouse Inlet.

    Johnson 1890

  • Commanded from Fort Sumter

    4 May 1864 to 20 July 1864 · confirmed

    TodayFort Sumter National Historical Park, Charleston Harbor, SC
    EvidenceNamed by Johnson as commanding the fort from 4 May 1864.

    Johnson 1890

  • Died at Fort Sumter

    20 July 1864 · confirmed

    TodayFort Sumter National Historical Park, Charleston Harbor, SC
    EvidenceKilled on the ramparts by a fragment of a mortar shell while observing the fleet, on the fourteenth day of the third great bombardment.

    Johnson 1890

Burial

Not yet documented.

What is established, and on whose authority

  • verifiedCaptain, 1st South Carolina Artillery; commanded Fort Sumter from 4 May to 20 July 1864.Johnson 1890
  • verifiedAt Fort Moultrie in April 1861, at the capture of the Isaac Smith, and commanding the works at the south end of Morris Island when the Federals crossed Lighthouse Inlet.Johnson 1890
  • verifiedKilled on the ramparts of Fort Sumter on 20 July 1864 by a fragment of a mortar shell, aged twenty-four.Johnson 1890
  • verifiedSon of the Irish patriot and exile John Mitchel.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.