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Alexander M. Beattie
Born(1828-07-29)July 29, 1828
Ryegate, Vermont
DiedMarch 7, 1907(1907-03-07) (aged 78)
AllegianceUnited States United States of America
Service/branch United States Army
Union Army
Years of service1861 – 1864
Rank Captain
UnitVermont 3rd Regiment Vermont Volunteer Infantry - Company F
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War
Awards Medal of Honor

Alexander Mitchell Beattie (often misspelled Beatty) (July 29, 1828 – March 7, 1907) was a Union Army soldier during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for valor at the Battle of Cold Harbor during the American Civil War.

Biography edit

Alexander Mitchell Beattie was born in Ryegate, VT on July 29, 1828. He was the eleventh child and and sixth son of James M. Beattie (January 12 1776-December 30, 1866} and Margaret Jane Gillespie Beattie (1789-1862).[1] His parents were immigrants who were both born in Ulster, Ireland (his father was born in Britton Walls, Co. Antrim). His father came to America in 1801, initially to Armenia, NY, before moving to Ryegate, a town sponsored by the Scottish-American Company of Farmers in 1804.[1] He was a member of Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland, also known as Covenanters, and joined the congregation there and later became a deacon. He sold Irish linen throughout Vermont before moving his business to Richmond, VA. Returning to Ryegate in 1807, to buy some woodland, he cleared the land and built a farm, marrying Margaret, a niece of the minister in 1808.[1]

Beattie was educated at Peacham and St. Johnsbury Academies.[2] He taught school in St Johnsbury through his twenties until he moved to California to work in business and mining in 1857.[2] He only stayed a year before returning to St. Johnsbury and to work in his brothers', David and Thomas's lumber business in Maidstone, VT.[1] A respected 32-year-old businessman and local leader, like his brothers, he was a War Democrat. At the start of hostilities, he recruited a company of lumbermen for the war effort.[2]

Military Service edit

Serving in the Union Army from June 1861 until July 1864,[3] Beatty enlisted his company in the 3rd Vermont Infantry and received a 2nd Lieutenant's commission on June 11, 1861.[4] His company became Company I, under the command of Capt. Thomas Nelson, and was sworn into federal service with the regiment at Camp Baxter, St. Johnsbury,[note 1] on July 16, 1861.[6][7][8]

With 881 of his comrades in the 3rd Vermont, Beattie departed for Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, July 24,[9] on a train of 22 cars.[10][note 2] With stops at Bellows Falls, Springfield, Hartford, New York, and Philadelphia, the regiment arrived two days later in Washington.[10] In Washington, Beattie got a new regimental commander, Col. William F. Smith.[note 3] The regiment stayed at Camp Lyon, on Georgetown Heights until Saturday, July 27, when it marched up the Potomac to the Chain Bridge. Once across, they moved into Camp Lyon.[10] They joined at that site the 6th Maine Infantry, a battery, and a company of cavalry. By August 12, the 2nd Vermont Infantry and the 33rd New York Infantry had joined them. In command of the camp, Smith was soon promoted to brigadier general of volunteers, so Beattie saw his third regimental commander within a month, as its lieutenant colonel, Breed N. Hyde, took command.[11]

For many weeks in the early fall, Beattie and Company I saw duty erecting earthworks and turning the camp into a fort. On Tuesday, September 11, with the regiment, Company I participated in a reconnaissance to and beyond Lewinsville, Virginia, where it engaged Confederate skirmishers.[6][7][8]. Returning to the camp, it came under fire from a Rebel battery, losing one man killed, one mortally wounded, and injuring five others. Two weeks later another reconnaissance to Lewinsville resulted in no contact and no casualties.[6].

During the next two weeks, the 4th and 5th Vermont regiments joined Smith's division. On Wednesday, October 9, the Vermont regiments moved to Camp Griffin, about four miles from Chain Bridge. Here, on October 24, the 6th Vermont Infantry arrived.[12] By now, Beattie and the 3rd were in a brigade commanded by an OhioanWilliam T. H. Brooks[note 4] in a division now commanded by Smith. Between June and September, for a time, the brigade also included the 26th New Jersey Infantry.[note 5] Through Smith's efforts, the 6th Vermont was added, completing the initial organization of the "Old Vermont Brigade," at that time, the only brigade in the Army of the Potomac made up of regiments from one state.

Beattie continued to serve in Company I through the fall and must have demonstrated his ability as he was promoted to First Lieutenant of the company on Thursday, November 7.[4] Through the remainder of the fall and into the winter, Beattie remained with his company at Camp Griffin training, erecting fortifications, and serving in garrison in the defenses of Washington.

In the spring of 1862, on March 10, Beattie went with his regiment down the river to Alexandria.[6]. After almost a fortnight, he boarded a transport with his company on Sunday March 23, and arrived down the Chesapeake Bay at Fortress Monroe the next day.[6]. On the peninsula, in April, his brigade was incorporated into the Army of the Potomac (AoP) as the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, VI Corps, commanded by Maj. Gen. William B. Franklin. Beattie first saw action during Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan's Peninsula Campaign in the Battle at Lee's Mill on April 16, 1862. Beattie fought at Battle of Williamsburg where the Vermont Brigade was sent to reinforce Maj. Gen. Hancock's successful attack on the right.[14] As the army neared Richmond, Beattie and his company spent almost a month on fatigue and picket duty perparing for the planned siege of the city.[14] All that changed when Lee took command of the Rebels. Seizing the intiative he attacked U.S. forces during a series of engagements known as the Seven Days Battles. Beattie and his men were in heavy fighting at Garnett's & Golding's Farm, Savage's Station (where his company commander as well as brigade commander were wounded), [15], and at White Oak Swamp. After these defeats, on Tuesday night, July 1, Beattie's division were in reserve in positions on Turkey Creek in Charles City County during the Malvern Hill. That night in the darkness the AoP began a nighttime withdrawal.[16] Beattie and his company retreated to Harrison's Landing arriving early on the morning of July 2. Beattie would remain there with his regiment until August 16 when they moved to Fortress Monroe to board transports back to Alexandria.[6]

VI Corps remained at Alexandria during Pope's Virgina Campaign and were reunited with the rest of the army for the Maryland campaign, Lee's invasion. After Lee invaded Maryland, McClellan learned that Lee had split his forces from a copy of an order, known as Special Order 191, that his troops had found.[17][note 6] To counter him, McClellan moved west to go over South Mountain, part of the Blue Ridge mountains, and strike isolated parts of Lee's army. Beattie, in the 3rd Vermont, was in the Left Wing, under Franklin, within the VI Corps. Lee soon found out about the orders and quickly recalled Longstreet to reinforce the South Mountain passes of the Blue Ridge mountains to block McClellan's advance. Brooks had recovered from his wounds and resumed command of his brigade, and under him, Beattie and his company were part of the force sent to take the southernmost pass, Crampton's Gap. On Sunday, September 14, Beattie was with the 3rd as the brigade charged up South Mountain led by the 4th Vermont. Despite artillery fire, the brigade had taken the summit and captured the 16th Virginia Infantry's colors.[note 7] With the passes in hand, on Monday and Tuesday, the AoP moved through and into positions along Antietam Creek. On Wednesday, September 17, Beattie, in VI Corps moved up to Antietam Creek.

Due to their short march down from the pass, McClellan kept IV Corps in reserve for the morning of the Battle of Antietam, so Beattie and his company saw no movement until midday.[6] The Rebels had briefly recaptured the high ground in McClellan's center that overlooked the sunken road that was holding up McClellan's attack around noon,[22] so he sent the 3rd Vermont's division, commanded by their old commander Maj. Gen. Smith, to recapture it. Once the U.S. forces retook it , a gap opened in Lee's line, but instead of exploiting this breakthrough,[23] McClellan intead started massing his artillery and eventually placing 44 guns on it.[22] Although, Beattie and his men had made no contact with the Rebel infantry as their brigade was in the rear of Smith's advance, they came under severe artillery fire while kept on the high ground protecting the artillery. Beattie's corps' position on the high ground ensured McCellan never lost this ground for the remainder of the battle.[22] With dusk, the battle ended. The next day Beattie and his men remained in their positions on the high ground facing Lee's army, but McClellan did not attack

After Antietam, Beattie and his regiment went into camp at Hagerstown. Beattie's demonstration of leadership and performance over the Peninsula and Maryland campaigns earned him a promotion to captain on Saturday, October 13. He immediately received command of Company I to relieve Samuel Pingree who had been promoted to major.[24]

Medal of Honor citation edit

Rank and organization: Captain, Company F, 3rd Vermont Infantry. Place and date: At Cold Harbor, Virginia, June 5, 1864. Entered service at: Guildhall, Vermont. Born: July 29, 1828, Ryegate, Vermont. Date of issue: April 25, 1894.

Citation:

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Captain Alexander Mitchell Beatty, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 5 June 1864, while serving with Company F, 3d Vermont Infantry, in action at Cold Harbor, Virginia. Captain Beatty removed, under a hot fire, a wounded member of his command to a place of safety.[25][26][27][28][29]

Postwar edit

After mustering out, Beattie returned to Ryegate. His mother had passed away while he was taking part in the Siege of Yorktown. He worked for his father's business until his father passed away in 1866 and he moved northeast to Brunswick, VT to start his own lumbering business.[2] A Democrat, he was Brunswick's state representative from 1867-1868 in the Vermont House of Representatives, the lower house of the Vermont General Assembly.[2] In 1869, he moved his business down the Connecticut River to Lancaster, NH, where his brothers, David had expanded successfully.[2] In Lancaster that year, at age 41, he married Connecticut-born 22-year-old, Celestia Congdon, who had moved with her family to town between 1850 and 1852.[2]

On February 26, 1871, they had a daughter, Mabel Alexander. He became successful and expanded his business into Pittsburgh, NH and Granby VT.[2] In the 1880 census, he was living in Lancaster on Bellows Farm in Lancaster with his wife, daughter, and a farmhand.[30] He continued to be active in the community. He was also involved in veterans organizations and was elected a companion of the Vermont Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States on May 10, 1892 at its annual meeting in Burlington, VT.[31] On May 31, 1892, his 22-year-old daughter Mabel married 35-year-old widower, Dr. Charles D. Sawin, M.D. of Somerville, MA, in Lancaster.[32][2] The year of his daughter's wedding, Lancaster's citizens elected him to the New Hampshire House of Representatives where he served from 1893-1894.[2]

While in office, he was notified that he had earned the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Cold Harbor on July 5, 1864. On April 25, 1894, he was awarded it.[26][27][28][29] By the 1900 vensus, Captain Beattie was at 71, still working and living at Bellows Farm with his wife, two employees, and a servant.[33] After living in Lancaster for 37 years, Beattie died of old age at 78 on March 7, 1897, survived by his wife, daughter, and son-in-law.[34]

See also edit

References edit

Notes

  1. ^ This property was the county fairgrounds of the Caledonia County Agricultural Society, just south of the town amed in honor of Adjutant and Inspector General H. Henry Baxter.[5]
  2. ^ Because the 3rd took longer to organize and fill out, it did not missed the Battle of First Bull Run unlike its future brigade mates.[5]
  3. ^ Smith, known to his friends as "Baldy", was born at St. Albans, Vermont and graduated fourth of 41 the West Point class of 1845. Smith was appointed to the Topographical Engineers Corps. His service in the war would be noted for the extremes of glory and blame, notably success in the Peninsula, Maryland, and Chattanooga campaigns and failure at Fredricksburg and Petersburg. For more information, see his Wikipedia article.
  4. ^ William Thomas Harbaugh Brooks was an 1841 graduate of West Point, who had seen combat in both the Second Seminole War and the Mexican–American War. He had been on garrison duty at Fort Hamilton, New York when the Southern states seceded. For More information, see his Wikipedia article.
  5. ^ The 26th, a two-year regiment, would remain a member of the brigade until they departed to muster out in June 1863.[13]
  6. ^ While McClellan was moving to intercept Lee, two Union soldiers (Cpl. Barton W. Mitchell (later killed at Antietam) and First Sergeant John M. Bloss (later wounded at Antietam)[18][19] of the 27th Indiana Volunteer Infantry) discovered a mislaid copy of Lee's detailed battle plans wrapped around three cigars. The orders showed Lee had divided army and dispersed his army making each subject to isolation and defeat if McClellan could move quickly enough. McClellan waited about 18 hours before deciding to take advantage of this intelligence and reposition his forces, thus squandering an opportunity to defeat Lee decisively.[20] For more information see the Battle of Antietam Wikipedia article here.
  7. ^ The Confederate defenses at two passes through the mountains delayed McClellan's advance enough for Lee to concentrate the remainder of his army at Sharpsburg.[21]

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d History of Ryegate, James Beattie (2008).
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j History of Ryegate, Alexander Mitchell Beattie (2008).
  3. ^ The Battle of Antietam on the Web (2004).
  4. ^ a b Peck (1892), p. 98.
  5. ^ a b Coffin (1995), p. 70.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Dyer (1908), pp. 1650; Federal Publishing Company (1908), pp. 109.
  7. ^ a b Civil War in the East, 3rd Vermont Volunteer Infantry Regiment (2016).
  8. ^ a b VCW, 3rd Vermont Infantry (2004).
  9. ^ Benedict (1886), p. 126; Coffin (1995), p. 72; Dyer (1908), p. 1650; Federal Publishing Company (1908), p. 109.
  10. ^ a b c Crockett (1921), p. 514.
  11. ^ Crockett (1921), p. 514; Peck (1892), p. 83.
  12. ^ Parsons (1996), pp. 11–12.
  13. ^ Dyer (1908), p. 1364.
  14. ^ a b Benedict (1886), p. 140.
  15. ^ Crockett (1921), pp. 510–512; Peck (1892), p. 70.
  16. ^ NPS 3rd Regiment, Vermont Infantry (2007).
  17. ^ ABT, Battle of South Mountain (2009).
  18. ^ Sears (1983).
  19. ^ McPherson 2002, p. 108.
  20. ^ McPherson (2002), p. 109.
  21. ^ McPherson 2002, pp. 110–12.
  22. ^ a b c ABT, Overlooked Fighting at Antietam, 2022.
  23. ^ Bailey (1984), pp. 108–09.
  24. ^ Peck (1892), p. 89.
  25. ^ Coffin (2002), p. 307.
  26. ^ a b MoHC, Alexander Mitchell Beatty (2018).
  27. ^ a b CMH, Beatty, Alexander M. (2007).
  28. ^ a b CMOHS, Alexander Mitchell Beatty (2014).
  29. ^ a b Sightline Media Group,Alexander Mitchell Beatty (2020).
  30. ^ Ancestry®, Alexander M Beattie, 1880 US Census (2021).
  31. ^ The Burlington Free Press, The Loyal Legion, May 11, 1892.
  32. ^ Ancestry®, Mabel Beattie Marriage (2021).
  33. ^ Ancestry®, Alexander M Beattie, 1900 US Census (2021).
  34. ^ Ancestry®, Alexander M Beattie, New Hampshire, U.S., Death Records, 1650-1969 (2021).

Sources

External links edit


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