Charles Williamson Flusser (September 27, 1832 – April 19, 1864) was an officer in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

Biography

Born at

Annapolis Annapolis ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is the county seat of Anne Arundel County and its only incorporated city. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

, Flusser entered the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (USNA, Navy, or Annapolis) is a United States Service academies, federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as United States Secre ...

in 1847 and graduated with the Class of 1853 with the rank of

passed midshipman A passed midshipman, sometimes called as "midshipman, passed", is a term used historically in the 19th century to describe a midshipman who had passed the lieutenant's exam and was eligible for promotion to lieutenant as soon as there was a vac ...

. He received promotion to master and then lieutenant on September 15 and 16, 1855, while serving in the South American Squadron. In early 1861, Flusser was appointed to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, and oversaw its relocation to

Fort Adams Fort Adams is a former United States Army post in Newport, Rhode Island, Newport, Rhode Island, that was established on July 4, 1799, as a Seacoast defense in the United States#First System, First System Coastal defence and fortification, coas ...

in Newport, Rhode Island. Flusser served on blockade duty off the coast of Georgia in late 1861, before being appointed commander of the gunboat for the

Burnside Expedition Burnside's North Carolina Expedition (also known as the Burnside Expedition) was a series of engagements fought along the North Carolina Coast between February and June 1862. The expedition was part of Winfield Scott's overall Anaconda Plan, which ...

, taking part in the victory at the

Battle of Elizabeth City The Battle of Elizabeth City of the American Civil War was fought in the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Roanoke Island. It took place on 10 February 1862, on the Pasquotank River near Elizabeth City, North Carolina, Elizabeth City, North C ...

in February 1862. Flusser was promoted to lieutenant commander in July 1862, also assuming command of all Union gunboats in

Albemarle Sound Albemarle Sound () is a large estuary on the coast of North Carolina in the United States located at the confluence of a group of rivers, including the Chowan River, Chowan and Roanoke River, Roanoke. It is separated from the Atlantic Ocean b ...

. He took part in the expedition against Franklin, Virginia, in October 1862, with his ship only narrowly escaping capture. Flusser was killed in action on April 19, 1864, during the

Battle of Plymouth The Battle of Plymouth was a naval battle in the First Anglo-Dutch War. It took place on 16 August 1652 (26 August 1652 (Gregorian calendar) and was a short battle, but had the unexpected outcome of a Dutch victory over England. General-at-S ...

, commanding the Union naval forces present. In the engagement between the and against the

Confederate A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...

ironclad An ironclad was a steam engine, steam-propelled warship protected by iron armour, steel or iron armor constructed from 1859 to the early 1890s. The ironclad was developed as a result of the vulnerability of wooden warships to explosive or ince ...

. In that action, Flusser personally fired a cannon shell at the Confederate ironclad. The shell, with a 10-second fuse, bounced off the ''Albemarle's'' armor and landed back on the deck of the ''Miami'', where its explosion killed him. Brigadier General Henry W. Wessells, commanding the garrison at

Plymouth, North Carolina Plymouth is the most populous town in Washington County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,320 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the county seat of Washington County. Plymouth is located on the Roanoke River ...

, noted: "In the death of this accomplished sailor the Navy has lost one of its brightest ornaments..." Flusser was interred at the military cemetery in New Bern, but in 1868 his remains were transferred to the Naval Academy Cemetery.

Namesakes

Four

ships have been named in his honor.

References

*
Lieutenant Commander Charles W. Flusser
at the U.S. Naval Historical Center * {{DEFAULTSORT:Flusser, Charles W. 1832 births 1864 deaths Union Navy officers United States Naval Academy alumni United States Navy officers People of Maryland in the American Civil War Union military personnel killed in the American Civil War Military personnel from Annapolis, Maryland Burials at the United States Naval Academy Cemetery

Biography

Namesakes

See also

References