Eugene B. Beaumont
Encyclopedia
Eugene Beauharnais Beaumont (August 2, 1837 – July 17, 1916) was a Union Army
officer in the American Civil War
and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor
, for his actions at an engagement on the Harpeth River
in Tennessee
and at the Battle of Selma
. After the Civil War he served in the Indian Wars
of the western United States
.
, the son of U.S. Representative Andrew Beaumont
. He was appointed to the United States Military Academy
from the city of Wilkes Barre in 1856 and graduated on May 6, 1861. Ranking 32nd out of his class of 45 cadets, Beaumont was assigned as a second lieutenant to the 1st Cavalry Regiment. Soon after entering the Army he married Margaret Rutter, his childhood sweetheart.
, until June 1861, when he was appointed aide-de-camp
to General Ambrose Burnside
. With Burnside, he participated in the First Battle of Bull Run
. In September he became aide-de-camp to General John Sedgwick
and served with him in the Peninsula Campaign
of early 1862 until falling ill with typhoid fever
. After recuperating, he returned to duty in August 1862 and again worked as an aide-de-camp, this time to General-in-Chief of the Union Army, Henry Wager Halleck
. Beaumont requested to be sent back to the field, and in May 1863 he rejoined General Sedgwick as a captain. He served with Sedgwick for just over a year and took part in a series of battles, including Gettysburg
, Rappahannock Station
, Raccoon Ford, Mine Run
, and the Wilderness
.
By December 17, 1864, he was a major
serving as the Assistant Adjutant General
of the Army of the Mississippi
's Cavalry Corps. On that day, at the Harpeth River in Tennessee, he took command of the 4th Cavalry Regiment and led a successful mission to capture a Confederate
artillery battery. At the Battle of Selma, Alabama, four months later, on April 2, 1865, he led the regiment in an assault on Confederate fortifications. For these actions, he was awarded the Medal of Honor several decades after the end of the war, on March 30, 1898.
, in 1869 and 1870. During the Red River War
, he fought with Colonel Ranald S. Mackenzie
in the Battle of Palo Duro Canyon
, where he led the 4th Cavalry's leading battalion. He spent four years as a cavalry instructor at West Point, from 1875 to 1879, before being promoted to major and returning west. He commanded Fort Reno
, in the Indian Territory
, for a year, then participated in a campaign against the Ute tribe
while stationed at Fort Garland
, Colorado
. He commanded Fort Riley
, Kansas
, in 1881, Fort Bowie
, New Mexico Territory
(present-day Arizona
), beginning in 1884, and Fort Huachuca
in 1888.
Beaumont's wife Margaret died in 1879 and he remarried, to Maria Orton, in 1883. His oldest daughter from his first marriage, Natalie Sedgewick Beaumont, married George Alexander Forsyth
, a fellow 4th Cavalry officer who was only three or four months his junior.
He retired on May 6, 1892, as a lieutenant colonel
. Beaumont died at age 78 in Harveys Lake, Pennsylvania
. He was buried at Hollenback Cemetery in his hometown of Wilkes-Barre.
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
officer in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
, for his actions at an engagement on the Harpeth River
Harpeth River
The Harpeth River, long, is one of the major streams of north-central Middle Tennessee and one of the major tributaries of the Cumberland River...
in Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
and at the Battle of Selma
Battle of Selma
The Battle of Selma was a military engagement near the end of the American Civil War. It was fought in Selma, Alabama, on April 2, 1865. Union Army forces under Major General James H...
. After the Civil War he served in the Indian Wars
Indian Wars
American Indian Wars is the name used in the United States to describe a series of conflicts between American settlers or the federal government and the native peoples of North America before and after the American Revolutionary War. The wars resulted from the arrival of European colonizers who...
of the western United States
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
.
Early life
Beaumont was born in Luzerne County, PennsylvaniaLuzerne County, Pennsylvania
- Demographics :As of the 2010 census, the county was 90.7% White, 3.4% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 3.3% were of some other race, and 1.5% were two or more races. 6.7% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino ancestry...
, the son of U.S. Representative Andrew Beaumont
Andrew Beaumont
Andrew Beaumont was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.Andrew Beaumont was born in Lebanon, Connecticut. He moved to Pennsylvania in 1808 and studied law but never practiced. He served as collector of revenue in 1814 and prothonotary and clerk of the courts of...
. He was appointed to the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
from the city of Wilkes Barre in 1856 and graduated on May 6, 1861. Ranking 32nd out of his class of 45 cadets, Beaumont was assigned as a second lieutenant to the 1st Cavalry Regiment. Soon after entering the Army he married Margaret Rutter, his childhood sweetheart.
Civil War service
He trained soldiers in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, until June 1861, when he was appointed aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to General Ambrose Burnside
Ambrose Burnside
Ambrose Everett Burnside was an American soldier, railroad executive, inventor, industrialist, and politician from Rhode Island, serving as governor and a U.S. Senator...
. With Burnside, he participated in the First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas , was fought on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, near the City of Manassas...
. In September he became aide-de-camp to General John Sedgwick
John Sedgwick
John Sedgwick was a teacher, a career military officer, and a Union Army general in the American Civil War. He was the highest ranking Union casualty in the Civil War, killed by a sniper at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House.-Early life:Sedgwick was born in the Litchfield Hills town of...
and served with him in the Peninsula Campaign
Peninsula Campaign
The Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March through July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater. The operation, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B...
of early 1862 until falling ill with typhoid fever
Typhoid fever
Typhoid fever, also known as Typhoid, is a common worldwide bacterial disease, transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person, which contain the bacterium Salmonella enterica, serovar Typhi...
. After recuperating, he returned to duty in August 1862 and again worked as an aide-de-camp, this time to General-in-Chief of the Union Army, Henry Wager Halleck
Henry Wager Halleck
Henry Wager Halleck was a United States Army officer, scholar, and lawyer. A noted expert in military studies, he was known by a nickname that became derogatory, "Old Brains." He was an important participant in the admission of California as a state and became a successful lawyer and land developer...
. Beaumont requested to be sent back to the field, and in May 1863 he rejoined General Sedgwick as a captain. He served with Sedgwick for just over a year and took part in a series of battles, including Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
, Rappahannock Station
Battle of Rappahannock Station II
-References:* by the National Park Service* *...
, Raccoon Ford, Mine Run
Battle of Mine Run
The Battle of Mine Run, also known as Payne's Farm, or New Hope Church, or the Mine Run Campaign , was conducted in Orange County, Virginia, in the American Civil War....
, and the Wilderness
Battle of the Wilderness
The Battle of the Wilderness, fought May 5–7, 1864, was the first battle of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Both armies suffered heavy casualties, a harbinger of a bloody war of attrition by...
.
By December 17, 1864, he was a major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
serving as the Assistant Adjutant General
Adjutant general
An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
of the Army of the Mississippi
Army of the Mississippi
Army of the Mississippi was the name given to two Union armies that operated around the Mississippi River, both with short existences, during the American Civil War.-1862:...
's Cavalry Corps. On that day, at the Harpeth River in Tennessee, he took command of the 4th Cavalry Regiment and led a successful mission to capture a Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
artillery battery. At the Battle of Selma, Alabama, four months later, on April 2, 1865, he led the regiment in an assault on Confederate fortifications. For these actions, he was awarded the Medal of Honor several decades after the end of the war, on March 30, 1898.
Medal of Honor citation
Beaumont's official Medal of Honor citation reads:Obtained permission from the corps commander to advance upon the enemy's position with the 4th U.S. Cavalry, of which he was a lieutenant; led an attack upon a battery, dispersed the enemy, and captured the guns. At Selma, Ala., charged, at the head of his regiment, into the second and last line of the enemy's works.
Indian Wars service
After the Civil War, Beaumont served with the 4th Cavalry throughout the western United States. One of his first assignments was as commander of the District of Lampasas, TexasLampasas, Texas
Lampasas is a city in Lampasas County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,786 at the 2000 census. It is the seat of Lampasas County.Lampasas is part of the Killeen–Temple–Fort Hood Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, in 1869 and 1870. During the Red River War
Red River War
The Red River War was a military campaign launched by the United States Army in 1874, as part of the Comanche War, to remove the Comanche, Kiowa, Southern Cheyenne, and Arapaho Native American tribes from the Southern Plains and forcibly relocate them to reservations in Indian Territory...
, he fought with Colonel Ranald S. Mackenzie
Ranald S. Mackenzie
Ranald Slidell Mackenzie was a career United States Army officer and general in the Union Army during the American Civil War, described by General Ulysses S. Grant as its most promising young officer...
in the Battle of Palo Duro Canyon
Battle of Palo Duro Canyon
The Battle of Palo Duro Canyon was a significant United States victory that brought about the end of the Red River War.-Background:Ever since the summer of 1874 the Comanches, Cheyenne and Kiowas had sought refuge in Palo Duro Canyon in the Texas panhandle. There they had been stockpiling food and...
, where he led the 4th Cavalry's leading battalion. He spent four years as a cavalry instructor at West Point, from 1875 to 1879, before being promoted to major and returning west. He commanded Fort Reno
Fort Reno (Oklahoma)
Fort Reno was established as a permanent post in July 1875, near the Darlington Indian Agency on the old Cheyenne-Arapaho reservation in Indian Territory, in present-day central Oklahoma. Named for General Jesse L. Reno, who died at the Battle of South Mountain, it supported the U.S...
, in the Indian Territory
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
, for a year, then participated in a campaign against the Ute tribe
Ute Tribe
The Ute are an American Indian people now living primarily in Utah and Colorado. There are three Ute tribal reservations: Uintah-Ouray in northeastern Utah ; Southern Ute in Colorado ; and Ute Mountain which primarily lies in Colorado, but extends to Utah and New Mexico . The name of the state of...
while stationed at Fort Garland
Fort Garland
Fort Garland , Colorado, USA, was designed to house two companies of soldiers to protect settlers in the San Luis Valley, which was the Territory of New Mexico...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. He commanded Fort Riley
Fort Riley
Fort Riley is a United States Army installation located in Northeast Kansas, on the Kansas River, between Junction City and Manhattan. The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 100,656 acres in Geary and Riley counties and includes two census-designated places: Fort Riley North and Fort...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, in 1881, Fort Bowie
Fort Bowie
Fort Bowie was a 19th century outpost of the United States Army located in southeastern Arizona near the present day town of Willcox, Arizona.Fort Bowie was established in 1862 after a series of engagements between the U.S. Military and the Chiricahua Apaches. The most violent of which was the...
, New Mexico Territory
New Mexico Territory
thumb|right|240px|Proposed boundaries for State of New Mexico, 1850The Territory of New Mexico was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 6, 1912, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of...
(present-day Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
), beginning in 1884, and Fort Huachuca
Fort Huachuca
Fort Huachuca is a United States Army installation under the command of the United States Army Installation Management Command. It is located in Cochise County, in southeast Arizona, about north of the border with Mexico. Beginning in 1913, for 20 years the fort was the base for the "Buffalo...
in 1888.
Beaumont's wife Margaret died in 1879 and he remarried, to Maria Orton, in 1883. His oldest daughter from his first marriage, Natalie Sedgewick Beaumont, married George Alexander Forsyth
George Alexander Forsyth
George Alexander Forsyth was a United States military officer most notable for his service in the cavalry.-Early life:Forsyth was born in Muncy, Pennsylvania...
, a fellow 4th Cavalry officer who was only three or four months his junior.
He retired on May 6, 1892, as a lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
. Beaumont died at age 78 in Harveys Lake, Pennsylvania
Harveys Lake, Pennsylvania
Harveys Lake is a borough in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The lake within the town is the largest natural lake by volume contained entirely in Pennsylvania. The lake was named after Benjamin Harvey, who founded the borough in 1781 and was a member of the Sons of Liberty, an...
. He was buried at Hollenback Cemetery in his hometown of Wilkes-Barre.