George Lafayette Beal (May 21, 1825 – December 11, 1896) was an American

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

from the state of

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...

who served in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

Early life and background

Beal was born in

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...

. His father was one of the founders of the town. Beal studied at the Westbrook Seminary and was very interested military affairs, eventually being elected captain of the local militia unit known as the Norway Light Infantry, a position he held at the beginning of the war. He was employed as an agent of the Canadian Express Company.

Civil War

Beal was the first man in Oxford County to enlist, and his militia unit became Company "G" of the First Maine Infantry Regiment, a three-month unit. At the end of his enlistment, he re-enlisted and was commissioned

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

of the 10th Maine Infantry. The unit was engaged during

Stonewall Jackson Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824 – May 10, 1863) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, considered one of the best-known Confederate commanders, after Robert E. Lee. He played a prominent role in nearl ...

's valley campaign in 1862, including the

Battle of Cedar Mountain The Battle of Cedar Mountain, also known as Slaughter's Mountain or Cedar Run, took place on August 9, 1862, in Culpeper County, Virginia, as part of the American Civil War. Union forces under Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks attacked Confederate f ...

. Beal was commended for the 10th Maine's service covering the retreat of Maj. Gen.

Nathaniel Banks Nathaniel Prentice (or Prentiss) Banks (January 30, 1816 – September 1, 1894) was an American politician from Massachusetts and a Union general during the Civil War. A millworker by background, Banks was prominent in local debating societies, ...

Army of Virginia The Army of Virginia was organized as a major unit of the Union Army and operated briefly and unsuccessfully in 1862 in the American Civil War. It should not be confused with its principal opponent, the Confederate Army of ''Northern'' Virginia ...

, and later at

Second Bull Run The Second Battle of Bull Run or Battle of Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, in Prince William County, Virginia, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of the Northern Virginia Campaign waged by Confederate ...

, and

Antietam The Battle of Antietam (), or Battle of Sharpsburg particularly in the Southern United States, was a battle of the American Civil War fought on September 17, 1862, between Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and Union ...

, where Beal was severely wounded. Beal was mustered out with his regiment on May 8, 1863. On December 17, 1863, Beal was commissioned as the colonel of the 29th Maine Infantry, in the XIX Corps, and took part in the Red River Campaign in

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

, and later

Sheridan's Sheridan's is a liqueur first introduced in 1994. It is produced in Dublin by Thomas Sheridan & Sons.«Sheridans ...

Shenandoah Valley campaign in 1864. He became a brigade commander on April 19, 1864, relieving James W. McMillan, while retaining command of the 29th Maine. He received a

brevet Brevet may refer to: Military * Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay * Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college * Aircre ...

promotion to

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

of U. S. Volunteers on August 22, 1864, and was replaced as commander of the 29th Maine by Colonel George H. Nye on October 4, 1864. For gallant service at the

Battle of Cedar Creek The Battle of Cedar Creek, or Battle of Belle Grove, was fought on October 19, 1864, during the American Civil War. The fighting took place in the Shenandoah Valley of Northern Virginia, near Cedar Creek, Middletown, and the Valley Pike. Du ...

, he was promoted to full brigadier general of U. S. Volunteers November 30, 1864. His brigade had been first to advance and break the enemy's lines during the turning point of the battle. He was assigned to duty in

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

in 1865. Following the war, he was breveted to

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

(on or retroactive to March 13, 1865) and assigned command of the eastern district of

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

during the

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era. He was mustered out of service in January 1866 and returned to Maine.

Postbellum career

Beal became active in politics and was a delegate to the

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National Convention The National Convention (french: link=no, Convention nationale) was the parliament of the Kingdom of France for one day and the French First Republic for the rest of its existence during the French Revolution, following the two-year National ...

which nominated

General Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General of the United States ...

for

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in 1868, in which Beal was a

presidential elector The United States Electoral College is the group of presidential electors required by the Constitution to form every four years for the sole purpose of appointing the president and vice president. Each state and the District of Columbia appo ...

from Maine. In 1872 he was appointed as a pension agent at

Portland, Maine Portland is the largest city in the U.S. state of Maine and the seat of Cumberland County. Portland's population was 68,408 in April 2020. The Greater Portland metropolitan area is home to over half a million people, the 104th-largest metropol ...

. He served as commander of the Department of Maine of the

Grand Army of the Republic The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army (United States Army), Union Navy (U.S. Navy), and the Marines who served in the American Civil War. It was founded in 1866 in Decatur, Il ...

. He also served as commander of the Maine Commandery of the

Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (MOLLUS), or simply the Loyal Legion is a United States patriotic order, organized April 15, 1865, by three veteran officers of the Army. The original membership was composed of members ...

. In 1880, he became

adjutant general An adjutant general is a military chief administrative officer. France In Revolutionary France, the was a senior staff officer, effectively an assistant to a general officer. It was a special position for lieutenant-colonels and colonels in staf ...

of the Maine state militia, and served until 1885. In 1888, he was elected

state treasurer In the state governments of the United States, 48 of the 50 states have the executive position of treasurer. New York abolished the position in 1926; duties were transferred to New York State Comptroller. Texas abolished the position of Texas ...

as a

and served until 1894. He died in 1896 from heart disease.

Dates of rank

*Captain, Company G, 1st Maine Volunteer Infantry – April 14, 1861 *Mustered into Federal service – May 3, 1861 *Mustered out of Federal service – August 2, 1861 *Colonel, 10th Maine Volunteer Infantry – October 3, 1861 *Mustered out of Federal service – May 8, 1863 *Colonel, 29th Maine Volunteer Infantry – December 17, 1863 *Brevet brigadier general, Volunteers – August 22, 1864 *Brigadier general, Volunteers – November 13, 1864 *Brevet major general, Volunteers – March 13, 1865 *Mustered out of Federal service – January 15, 1866

References

*Warner, Ezra J. Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders. Baton Rouge, Louisiana: LSU Press. 1964. . *Welsh, Jack D. ''Medical Histories of Union Generals''. Columbus, Ohio: Kent State University Press. 1996. . * *

External links