Raleigh E. Colston
| Raleigh Edward Colston | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
October 1, 1825 Paris, France |
| Died | July 29, 1896 (aged 70) Richmond, Virginia |
| Buried at | Hollywood Cemetery (Richmond, Virginia) |
| Allegiance |
 Confederate States of America
|
| Service/branch |
 Confederate States Army
|
| Years of service | 1861–1865 (CSA) |
| Rank |
 Brigadier General (CSA) |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Raleigh Edward Colston (October 1, 1825 – July 29, 1896) was a French-born American professor, soldier, cartographer, and writer. He was a controversial brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Colston was among a handful of former Confederates who served in Egypt following the war.
Born in Paris, France, Colston was the adopted son of Maria Theresa, 2nd Duchess of Valmy (c. 1775-1845) and Dr. Raleigh Edward Colston (1796–1881). His mother had divorced her husband François Étienne de Kellermann, a famous cavalry general under Napoleon Bonaparte. Dr. Colston's marriage to a Catholic and a divorcee scandalized the Colston family of Virginia. In 1842, young Colston was sent to study in the United States, living with an uncle in Berkeley County, Virginia, now West Virginia. His "rigidly pious" uncle repeatedly tried to get Colston to enter the Presbyterian ministry, but the young man preferred a military career.
Colston entered the Virginia Military Institute in 1843 and graduated July 4, 1846, fourth in a class of fourteen. Following his graduation, he taught French and military science at VMI. He married Louise Meriwether Bowyer; the couple would have two daughters, Mary Frances and Louise Elizabeth. Professor Colston and a group of VMI cadets served as guards during the November 1859 execution of abolitionist firebrand John Brown following his unsuccessful raid on Harper's Ferry.
With Virginia's secession in early 1861, Colston was commissioned as the colonel of the 16th Virginia Infantry. Colston commanded the Confederate district across from Newport News during the historic 1862 battle between the USS Monitor and CSS Virginia.
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