Thomas Carlisle Herbert was born March 17, 1892 to Rev. Walter Isaac and Constance Furman Herbert [daughter of Charles Manning and Frances Emma Garden Furman]. He attended Wofford College and was a member of the Debating team. After graduating in 1914, Carlisle taught school and in 1917 enrolled in the University of South Carolina Law School. After the U.S. joined its allies to fight in WWI, Carlisle joined the U.S. Army and was stationed in Oglethorpe, Ga. and Chattanooga, Tenn. While in Georgia, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant. In December 1917, he was sent to France as a member of the Motor Transport Services and was in charge of the Advances M.T.C. Supply Depot 714. In October 11, 1918, Carlisle was promoted to First Lieutenant and in 1919, he was also appointed as a judge advocate. He was collecting evidence and statements for court martial when he developed lobar pneumonia. It is said that he drove motorcycles long distances gathering this information and because of the terrible weather and a previous case of influenza, he developed the illness that eventually killed him.

Carlisle died February 20, 1919 and was buried February 22 in a military cemetery near Langres (Haute Marne), France with full military honors. His body, along with the others buried in this cemetery, was moved to the St. Mihiel American Cemetery and Memorial in Thiaucourt, France.

In 1924 Carlisle's family, including his mother, father, and sister, Harriet, traveled to France to visit his grave. Carlisle's mother traveled to Europe in 1933 with other Gold Star Mothers who had lost their sons during World War I.