Richard Lee Turberville Beale (May 22, 1819 – April 21, 1893) was a lawyer, three-termUnited States Congressman from theCommonwealth of Virginia, and abrigadier general in theConfederate States Army during theAmerican Civil War.[1] He had more than three dozen slaves and was a Democrat.
Beale was born at Hickory Hill,Westmoreland County, Virginia. He attended two local private schools, Northumberland Academy andRappahannock Academy, before attendingDickinson College inCarlisle, Pennsylvania. He studied law and graduated from theUniversity of Virginia in 1837. Two years later, he was admitted to the bar and established a law practice at Hague, Virginia.
Beale was elected as aDemocrat to theThirtieth Congress (March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1849). However, he declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1848. He served as a member of theVirginia constitutional reform convention in 1850–51 where he opposed constitutional reform as a member of the ruling Richmond Junta, and he was elected to theVirginia Senate serving from 1858 to 1860.
Beale owned thirty-eight slaves along with significant farmland.[2]
Upon thesecession of Virginia in 1861, Beale accepted a commission in thecavalry as alieutenant in the 9th Virginia Cavalry. He was soon promoted tocaptain and thenmajor, and placed in command of Camp Lee, near his hometown of Hague, on the lowerPotomac River. Being commended for his intelligence and excellent judgment, he subsequently served under Col.W. H. F. "Rooney" Lee in the9th Virginia Cavalry in what became theArmy of Northern Virginia. When Lee was promoted to brigadier general, Beale was advanced to the rank ofcolonel on September 15, 1862 and given command of the regiment, which included his sons. In December 1862, he led a bold expedition throughout the countryside near theRappahannock River, capturing theFederal garrison at Leeds without losing a man.
Beale's service in 1863 earned him several written commendations and praises. On April 16, he won the praise ofMaj. Gen.J.E.B. Stuart for repelling the threatened raid of Maj. Gen.George Stoneman's Federal cavalry division, capturing several prisoners during a week of nearly continual fighting. During theGettysburg campaign, Beale led the 9th Virginia in a charge on Fleetwood Hill at theBattle of Brandy Station in June. He participated in Stuart's subsequent ride around theArmy of the Potomac and the raid throughMaryland andPennsylvania. He participated in hard fighting atGettysburg's East Cavalry Field in early July and during the army's retreat to Virginia. He briefly assumed command of Rooney Lee's brigade during fighting atCulpeper Court House and participated in theBristoe andMine Run Campaigns.
In March 1864, he made a forced march to intercept Union Col.Ulric Dahlgren and his raiders. A detachment of his 9th Virginia Cavalry successfully ambushed the Federals, and, with other units, captured about 175 men and killed Dahlgren. Thepapers found upon Dahlgren's person, revealing a design to burnRichmond and killPresidentJefferson Davis and hisCabinet, were forwarded through Maj. Gen.Fitzhugh Lee to the Confederate government. These controversial papers discovered by Beale's troopers may have been a factor that influencedJohn Wilkes Booth in his decision toassassinateAbraham Lincoln.
Beale led his regiment during theOverland Campaign, and captured two Union flags at theSecond Battle of Ream's Station during theSiege of Petersburg. In August, upon the death ofJohn R. Chambliss, Beale was assigned to command of Chambliss's brigade, although still with the rank of colonel. It was not until February 6, 1865, that he was finally promoted to brigadier general. He led the brigade through the end of the war. He was wounded and captured at Appomattox Station on April 9, 1865, and was paroled on April 27 at Ashland.
After the war, Beale resumed his political career duringReconstruction. He was elected to theForty-fifth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death ofBeverly B. Douglas. He was reelected and served in theForty-sixth Congress from January 23, 1879 to March 3, 1881. Finally retiring from public service, Beale resumed the practice of law. He also wrote A History of the Ninth Virginia Cavalry in the War Between the States.
Beale died near Hague, Virginia, and was buried there at Hickory Hill Cemetery.
Media related toRichard L. T. Beale at Wikimedia Commons| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
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| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromVirginia's 8th congressional district 1847–1849 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromVirginia's 1st congressional district 1879–1881 | Succeeded by |
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