Major Charles Pinckney Elliott, 185?-1943 : A Distinguished Veteran

May is Military Appreciation Month - so it is fitting to write about one of the more colorful veterans in Beaufort District's history. 

Maj. Charles Pinckney Elliott was the son of Confederate General Stephen Elliott and his wife Charlotte Stuart Elliott who both died when he was quite young. His aunt Sarah Stuart raised him and his two brothers. He graduated from West Point Military Academy in 1882. He fought the Apaches, was captured by the Mexicans - and was quite literally saved from imminent death by the U.S. Cavalry. He served in the US Army twice - retiring for the first time in 1898 after fighting in the Philippines but re-upping for World War 1 serving stateside, and then again retiring for the second time.  Upon the bombing of Pearl Harbor, he offered his services yet again in 1941 when he was over 80 years old. Major General Emory S. Adams replied to Major Elliott's offer commenting on his prior distinguished service: 

This is a record of which you may well be proud; and although I do not believe it will be necessary to place you on active duty during this crisis, I wish to assure you personally that your patriotic offer to serve your country again is deeply appreciated. (1)

His end, though, is rather sad. Our obituary files tell that tale: 

Major Elliott Disappeared On His Boat Monday On Fishing Trip Bogged Down in Marsh Trying Reach His Boat Was Drowned

The body of Major Charles Pinckney Elliot, retired, 84 years old, was found Saturday afternoon in the marsh near Seabrook. Death was apparently caused by drowning.

Major Elliott, who lived alone went out on a fishing trip Monday and was not missed until Thursday. After that a widespread search was made on Broad river. His boat was located about noon Saturday. Shortly afterwards his dog returned to the house. The body was found near where the boat was recovered.

It seems that he docked his boat and went out on the bank and in an attempt to get back in his boat he bogged down in the marsh and remained until the tide probably swept in over him.

Major Elliott was born March 15, 185? [text is difficult to read, a common problem with microfilm of old newspapers], son of General Stephen Elliott who fought at Fort Sumter in the War Between the States. Major Elliott graduated from West Point about sixty years ago. He served in World War No. 1 and volunteered to active duty in the present war, but was rejected because of his age.

Funeral services were held at 5 pm Monday at St. Helena's Episcopal Church and interment was in the churchyard. He was a double first cousin of the late William Elliott of Columbia, other double first cousins Mrs. J. Sumter Moore and Mrs. W. B. Smith Whaley of Columbia, three sons, Charles P., Jr., Stephen and Nathaniel R. Elliott. Major Elliott has many friends in Beaufort who regret to learn of his death. He was a familiar figure on the streets meeting his old friends.

It is somewhat odd that his widow, Hortense Darling Beaumont, nor their other five children who were alive at the time of his death, are not mentioned in the Beaufort Gazette article. Perhaps the editor only mentioned the sons who were known in the local community. 

The United States Military Academy published a rollicking memorial to their Class of 1882 member in July 1944 that we house in the "Elliott Family" vertical file. It seems that CPE had quite a colorful and exciting life. He fought the Apaches out West and was held captive by some Mexican soldiers. Only the timely arrival of the US 4th Cavalry averted his execution. Within a few years of that, he wooed and won the hand his commander's daughter in marriage at Fort Bowie, Arizona. He had eight posts in the first eight years of his marriage. He was assigned to Vancouver Barracks in 1893 where spent time surveying the Bitter Root Mountains and Mount St. Helens for the War Department. He fought in the Philippines during the Spanish American War and then surveyed the status of the salmon industry in Alaska in an attempt to improve his health. He retired from the Army for the first time in July 1898 on account of a disability caused by his military service. He returned to the Army during the Great War as one of the assistants of the Utilities Officer in charge of sanitation on the docks of Hoboken, New Jersey. Apparently he was a stickler for the rules and had absolutely forbidden smoking on the docks - which promptly burned down the week after he was relieved of his duties. There were also run-ins with the Coast Guard over possible bootlegging, attacks by diamondback rattlesnakes, and other times where he got stranded for days while out hunting or fishing. The memorial also notes, CPE's willingness to serve during World War 2.  

The number of his survivors is considerably longer in his West Point memorial. Mentioned by name are his widow; their four sons: Stephen, Charles P., Jr., Nathaniel and John; and their four daughters: Margaret; Mrs. William L. Lance; Mrs. Frederick H. Linthilicum; and Mrs. Reyburn Watres.

Fred Christensen wrote a bit in his diary about being a pall bearer at the Major's funeral held at St. Helena Episcopal Church on May 24, 1943: 

From Ancestry Library Edition

Also Major Elliott Chas. P. Elliott who could remember being taken out of Beaufort across the Whalebranch Ferry in a wagon when his family and the rest of the Whites evacuated Beaufort on the approach of the Federal fleet in the last war when he was a small boy, died the first of the week. As was his habit he had taken provisions in his boat and gone out for a couple of days fishing. As he did not return search was made for him. His body, partly covered by water was found in the marsh. Eighty-six years old his sight was poor. Perhaps he left his boat and was unable to find it. Perhaps he had a heart attack.

The official cause of his death was accidental drowning as the death certificate indicates. 

Major Elliott, we remember your service to your country. 

Two other things about obituaries while I have your attention: 

1. Our Beloved BDC Docent Kathy Mitchell has recently completed reading all of the 1998 Beaufort Gazette issues on microfilm in search of published obituaries to add to our Online Obituary Index. She's made 1277 entries for 1998. The Online Obituary Index project has been ongoing since before I came to work here in 1999. 

2. Cassandra came across a very interesting article tying reading obituaries to creativity in the MIT Press Reader blog. Author Keith Sawyer says "Reading obituaries can boost creativity by exposing you to distant ideas, fueling the associations that lead to unexpected breakthroughs." The life story of Maj. Charles Pinckney Elliott above was definitely inspired by his published obituary - which led me to investigate matters further. There are a number of such posts here in Connections or on the BDC's Facebook that began because I was reading obituaries in our files. So maybe Dr. Sawyer is onto something. 

Sources: 

"Elliott Family" vertical file, BDC Research Room contains the West Point memorial and the Beaufort Gazette, 1 January 1942, p. 1 article.

Obituary file: Elliott,  Major C.P.  Pinckney, Beaufort Gazette, 27 May 1943, p. 1. 

Recommended Reading: "The Creativity Hack No One Told You About: Read the Obits" by Keith Sawyer, MIT Press Reader, 24 April 2025. [Keith Sawyer "is one of the world's leading creativity researchers. He's written 20 books, including Group Genius, Zig Zag and Learning to See (just released 22 April 2025). He is currently the Morgan Distinguished Professor in Educational Innovations at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.]