He was born on February 15, 1864 in Washington, District of Columbia, United States, son of William H. Plunkett, who came to the United States from England and was a commissioned officer in the Union forces in the Civil War, and of Letitia (Peshall), daughter of Sir Charles Peshall of the British army.
Charles entered the Naval Academy at sixteen and graduated in 1884.
Made junior lieutenant in 1895, he was in the gunboat Petrel at Manila Bay in the War with Spain, receiving advancement to lieutenant in November 1898, on his return home. During the next decade he had the responsible post of executive, or second in command, on four ships - the Topeka, Texas, Georgia, and North Dakota, with intervening shore duty in the Office of Naval Intelligence (1904 - 05) and as inspector with the Fore River Shipbuilding Company, Quincy, Massachussets (1908 - 10).
He commanded successively the Missouri, Culgoa, Wabash, South Dakota and North Dakota, the last named of which went to Vera Cruz in April 1914 and remained there five months during trouble with Mexico. In September 1915 he was made director of target practice and engineering competitions, and continued in this duty during the preparation and first year's participation by the United States in the World War.
His position and special knowledge of ordnance led to his selection for command of the five batteries of 14-inch naval guns on railway mounts sent abroad in June 1918. It was only by his drive and indomitable energy in overcoming practical difficulties and official delays that this powerful artillery reached the front for employment in the Layon-Longuyon sector from September 6 till the armistice, where it did excellent work in destroying enemy communications, dumps, and bases. His temporary promotion to rear admiral, July 1, 1918, was made permanent in 1919.
In command of destroyer forces, United States Fleet, January-July 1919, he had full charge of the transatlantic flight of NC planes in May and June, during which destroyers were stationed at fifty-mile intervals from New Foundland to the Azores. Thereafter, until December 1920, he commanded the destroyer squadrons of the Atlantic Fleet. After duty as chief of staff at the Naval War College, 1920-21, he was president of the board of inspection and survey, and from December 1922 until his retirement February 15, 1928, in command of the Third Naval District and Brooklyn Navy Yard. During this period he was frequently in the public eye, first in 1923-24 by his vigorous campaign to drive bootleggers and drug peddlers from the neighborhood of the Brooklyn Yard; in 1924 by his protest at the profanity attributed to officers in uniform in the play "What Price Glory"; and in 1927 by his conflict with the Red Cross over solicitations in the yard.
His home after retirement was in Washington, where he died of heart trouble.
Charles Peshall Plunkett sucessfully participated in the Spanish–American War and World War, he received the distinguished service medal from both army and navy, and the rank of commander in the French Legion of Honor. His frankness and force made him a popular public speaker, and he took every opportunity to urge a strong navy and merchant marine. The Gleaves-class destroyer USS Plunkett (DD-431) was named in his honor.
He married Nellie, formerly Mrs. Richard Lee Leary of Washingtonin 1919. By earlier marriages to Ruth, daughter of Judge Tuck of Maryland, and after her death to her sister Julia, he had three children.
