Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 25.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

The virtues of General Colston endeared him to a wide circle of friends. Some of them in this city have expressed the desire that a suitable monument be raised by subscription over his remains, which rest in our beautiful Hollywood Cemetary, and that a portrait in oil of him be added to the appealing collection of Southern Chieftains, which now grace the walls of the Hall of R. E. Lee Camp, No. 1, of Confederate Veterans in this city. The zeal which impelled Captain John E. Laughton, Jr., now Commander of the Camp, as Chairman of the Committee, to secure these portraits, cannot be too highly commended. All desiring to aid toward the objects stated, may send their subscriptions to Captain Laughton, who will duly acknowledge them.

General Raleigh E. Colston.

1. That we mourn the death of our beloved and honored comrade Raleigh Edward Colston.

General Colston was born of Virginia parentage in the city of Paris, France, on October 31, 1825. In the year 1842, when seventeen years old, he came to America with a passport as a citizen of the United States issued by the American Minister, General Lewis Cass. In July, 1843, he entered the Virginia Military Institute as a cadet, and graduated in 1846. He was at once employed as assistant teacher of French. He was afterwards elected professor of French, and in the year 1859 he was also elected professor of military history and strategy, and of political economy, at .his alma mater. During the twelve years which elapsed between his graduation and this last promotion, Professor Colston was a diligent and successful student, in almost every department of human knowledge. He became master of many languages, and familiar with their literature. He was expert in mathematics and the physical sciences, especially those most useful in war.

In April, 1861, by order of the Governor of Virginia he marched in command of the corps of cadets from Lexington to Richmond, where he, and his cadets were for sometime employed in drilling and setting up as soldiers, the recruits who were assembling for the war.

In May, 1861, he was commissioned as colonel of the 16th Regiment of Virginia Infantry then stationed at Norfolk. In December,