Robert Burns Beath (January 25, 1839 – November 25, 1914) was an American soldier 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 ...

and as the 12th Commander-in-Chief 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 ...

, 1883–1884.

Early life and military career

Beath was born January 25, 1839, in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

, to David and Rabena (Wilson) Beath. He first enlisted April 21, 1861, as a corporal in Company G, 23rd Pennsylvania Infantry (a 3-month regiment) and mustered out July 31, 1861, at Philadelphia. He reenlisted September 5, 1861, as a sergeant in Company D, 88th Pennsylvania Infantry and was promoted June 1, 1862, to 1st sergeant and promoted December 1, 1862, to 2nd lieutenant. Beath was wounded at the

Second Battle of 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 ...

. He was subsequently promoted to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

on August 29, 1863, and mustered out on the same day to accept a transfer to command Company A,

8th United States Colored Infantry The 8th United States Colored Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment was composed of African American enlisted men commanded by white officers and was authorized by the Bureau o ...

. He was seriously wounded in action at the

Battle of Chaffin's Farm The Battle of Chaffin's Farm and New Market Heights, also known as Laurel Hill and combats at Forts Harrison, Johnson, and Gilmer, was fought in Virginia on September 29–30, 1864, as part of the siege of Petersburg in the American Civil War. ...

, resulting in the amputation of his right leg. On June 1, 1865, Beath was promoted to

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

and mustered out of the service on September 20, 1865.

Post-war service

Almost immediately after the Civil War, Beath became active in establishing a veterans' organization. He was a charter member and first commander of the first G.A.R. post established in Pennsylvania (October 1866). The following year, Beath became Junior Vice-Commander, Department of Pennsylvania, was assistant adjutant general (1867-1869), and served as Commander of the Department of Pennsylvania in 1873. He was elected 12th Commander-in-Chief of the G.A.R. and remained very active with the organization until his death. Beath is credited with writing the first history of the organization (1888), establishing its rules and regulations, and was a member of the board of trustees for the permanent fund. He was also a veteran companion of the Pennsylvania 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 ...

. Beath died November 25, 1914, at his home in Philadelphia and is buried in

Woodlands Cemetery The Woodlands is a National Historic Landmark District on the west bank of the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia. It includes a Federal-style mansion, a matching carriage house and stable, and a garden landscape that in 1840 was transformed into a ...

References

* Grand Army of the Republic. ''Final Journal of the Grand Army of the Republic, 1866-1956'' (Washington, DC: U.S. Govt. Print. Off.), 1957. {{DEFAULTSORT:Beath, Robert Burns 1839 births 1914 deaths American amputees People of Pennsylvania in the American Civil War Grand Army of the Republic Commanders-in-Chief Union Army officers Union Army colonels

Early life and military career

Post-war service

See also

References