Wilmot Gibbes de Saussure Wilmot Gibbes de Saussure ( July 23 , 1822 – February 1 , 1886 ) was a brigadier general in the South Carolina militia , who served along with the Confederate States Army in South Carolina at various times during the American Civil War . As a colonel , he led his regiment in the occupation of Fort Moultrie and the bombardment of Fort Sumter at the beginning of the war . He was appointed brigadier general as well as adjutant general and inspector general of South Carolina militia in 1862 . He commanded part of the Charleston defenses during the Union siege of the city in 1863 . He also led his men in opposition to Major General William T . Sherman ' s march through the Carolinas . De Saussure served five two - year terms in the South Carolina General Assembly in 1848 – 1849 , 1854 – 1857 and 1860 – 1863 . He also served as South Carolina Secretary of the Treasury from the summer of 1861 to April 11 , 1862 . After the war , de Saussure was a prominent lawyer and was active in civic affairs . He wrote several works of South Carolina history and was a grand master of Freemasons and president of the Huguenot Society , the Cincinnati Society and other civic organizations . Early life . Wilmot G . de Saussure was born in Charleston , South Carolina on July 23 , 1822 . His parents were Henry A . de Saussure , a lawyer , and Susan ( Boone ) de Saussure . De Saussure graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1840 after two years of study . He then studied law and became a prominent lawyer at Charleston in practice with his father . De Saussure served in the South Carolina House of Representatives of the South Carolina General Assembly in 1848 – 1849 , 1854 – 1857 and 1860 – 1863 . Wilmot Gibbes de Saussure married Martha Gourdin . When their eldest son , Henry A . de Sassure , died in 1903 , two adult sons and three adult daughters survived their brother . American Civil War service . Wilmot Gibbes de Saussure began his Civil War service as a colonel in the 1st South Carolina Artillery Regiment of the 4th Brigade of the South Carolina militia at the siege of Fort Sumter . His force occupied Fort Moultrie when the U . S . Army garrison withdrew to Fort Sumter on December 26 , 1861 . De Saussure was in command of the Morris Island batteries during the bombardment of Fort Sumter on April 12 through April 14 , 1861 . In August 1861 , de Saussure was appointed a brigadier general in the South Carolina militia and was given command of the 4th Brigade for the remainder of the war . On April 11 , 1862 , de Saussure was elected adjutant general and inspector general of the South Carolina militia . He also was appointed Secretary of the Treasury of South Carolina in the summer of 1861 by South Carolina Governor Francis Pickens . De Saussure commanded a force of militia and Confederate States Army troops during the siege of Charleston in 1863 . This force guarded the rear of the city . In late 1864 and early 1865 , de Saussure ' s men were sent to oppose the forces of Union Major General William T . Sherman as they marched through the Carolinas . Later life . After the war , Wilmot G . de Saussure was a prominent lawyer and was active in civic affairs in Charleston . He wrote several works of South Carolina history . He was president of the Huguenot Society and the Cincinnati Society ( Sons of Cincinnati ) . He was also president of the St . Andrew ' s Society , the St . Cecilia Society and the Charleston Library Society . He was a Harbor Commissioner for Charleston and a member of the Chamber of Commerce . De Saussure was a Freemason . He served as a grand master of his lodge from 1873 to 1875 . He also was a member of the Odd Fellows . Wilmot Gibbes de Saussure died on February 1 , 1886 in Ocala , Florida where he had gone with the hope of restoring his deteriorated health . He is buried in Magnolia Cemetery , Charleston , South Carolina .