THE 88TH PENNSYLVANIA REUNION PHOTO
PART TWO…………..BEAUMONT BROTHERS OF ST. CLAIR.
On February 7th , 1864 John Beaumont a private in company A of the 88th P.V.I. who was a native of St. Clair wrote this letter to the Pottsville Miners Journal.
Camp of the 88th Reg, P.V. Culpeper Va.
Editors Miners Journal: By the time this reaches you, we will be on our way home having re-enlisted as veteran volunteers. We will start from this place tomorrow. Our corps went out yesterday on a reconnaissance across the Rapidan, as I write I hear heavy cannonading.
Part of this regiment is from Philadelphia, and part from reading. I am a native of St. Clair, Schuylkill County. No citizens of Schuylkill need be ashamed of here for she has done nobly in this rebellion, in giving men and money to up hold the laws. There are four of us in this regiment from St. Clair. In the Battle of Gettysburg, one of my brothers was killed; another was wounded, and I was captured and taken to Richmond.
I feel rejoiced to know that we will soon see the loved ones at home, after a long absence. I have been in the service f my country two years and six months, but I am not tired of it, and am removed to try three more years of it, if necessary. I entered the service when the rebellion first began, and I am determined to see it ended. But I must close now, have to go on guard.
Truly Yours
J. Beaumont.
Unfortunately 21 year old John Beaumont would not see the end of the war a little over four months later John is killed at Petersburg, Va. On June 18, 1864.
During the Battle of Fredericksburg 26 year old George Beaumont the oldest of the brothers was wounded. The action he was wounded in is taken from Bates history.
At daylight on December 13th orders were received to advance the brigade, which was promptly done. General Taylor ordered the Eighty-eighth to go forward to the brow of a hill to silence a battery which was annoying the troops by a flank fire. On reaching the hill it poured in a volley, but in return received a severe fire of canister, by which a number of men in the color company were wounded, causing the regiment to fall back under cover of the hill. Again forming on the right of the brigade, the whole line moved forward, making an effective charge and taking a large number of prisoners. The fighting now became general and other brigades of the division charged, the Eighty-eighth keeping in position on the right after the balance of the brigade had gone to the rear. The ammunition having been exhausted and supports failing to come up, with the entire corps, it was forced back to the Bowling Green Road. Here the line was re-formed, and marched a short distance to the left, where it remained until midnight, and was then placed on picket. A little later it was quietly withdrawn from the picket line, and on marching to the rear, found that the whole army had re-crossed the river. It quickly followed, and at daylight the bridges were removed. The loss during the battle was seven killed and forty wounded.
Then on July 1st, 1863 the the first of the Beaumont brothers was killed. 24 year old William.
After forced marches, marching in one day thirty-two miles, it arrived on the field on the 1st of July. The brigade was commanded by General Baxter, of Michigan, Robinson's Division, Reynolds' Corps. A portion of the corps having encountered the enemy, the brigade which had been on picket the previous night, was hurried forward, and filing to the left of the town, passing in the rear of the seminary, was brought into position on a ridge to the right of the line beyond the railroad cut and in readiness for an attack; but it had been only a few minutes in line when the enemy was discovered advancing on the left flank. To about-face and right half wheel was the work of a moment, and immediately heavy volleys of musketry were given and received at short range. The fight raged furiously, and the enemy succeeded in gaining a hollow within easy musket range. After two hours of severe fighting, his lines having been repeatedly re-enforced, orders were given to charge, when the brigade dashed forward across an open field in the face of a heavy fire, taking nearly the whole of one of his brigades prisoners, the Eighty-eighth capturing the colors of the Sixteenth Alabama and Twenty-third North Carolina regiments. Discovering a heavy skirmish line of the enemy, supported by lines of battle advancing, the command fell back to its first position. It now became painfully apparent that the ammunition was nearly exhausted. The enemy soon began to press heavily upon front and upon both flanks. The only alternative left was to fall back, and the order was accordingly given. The enemy followed in close pursuit, driving the division through the town, pouring in a constant fire. No opportunity was given to re-form until it reached Cemetery Ridge, where light breast-works of rails were thrown up. After reaching it, darkness soon closed in and all sounds of battle ceased.
William is buried at Gettysburg, in the main Cemetery.
THE 88TH PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS IN THE WAR FOR THE UNION 1861-1865 WRITTEN BY JOHN D. VAUTIER (PAGE194):
ABOUT ELEVEN P.M., LIEUTENANT LAWRENCE CAME TO US AND ASKED IF WE KNOW WHAT DARK OBJECT THAT WAS MOVING ABOUT FIFTY YARDS IN OUR FRONT. WE HAD NOT NOTICED ANYTHING, BUT COULD SEE IT PLAINLY WHEN POINTED OUT. WE WENT OUT ABOUT TWENTY YARDS TO ASCERTAIN ITS IDENTITY, BUT COULD NOT MAKE IT OUT, WHEN LAWRENCE SAID HE WOULD FIRE AT IT ANYHOW, WHICH HE DID, MAKING AN EXCELLENT SHOT IN THE DARKNESS, AND HIT A COW THAT WAS GRAZING THERE, WHICH BELLOWED FEARFULLY ANDRAISED SUCH A RACKET THAT THE ENEMY THOUGHT WE WERE CHARGING THEM, FOR THEIR WHOLE LINE OPENED A HOT FIRE AT ONCE, BUT THEY GENERALLY OVERSHOT US. AN HOUR OR SO LATER I WAS WATCHING FOR A SHOT, WHEN FARTHER TO MY RIGHT I SAW THE FLASH OF A REB GUN THAT APPEARED TO BE HIGHER THAN THE OTHERS,AS THOUGH HE WERE STANDING ON THE RIFLE-PITS. I TOOK QUICK AIM AT HIS FLASH AND CAUGHT HIM SOMEWHERE, FOR HE YELLED LUSTILY FOR A BIT. DIRECTLY WE NOTICED SOME EXCITEMENT AMONG OUR BOYS, AND FOUND THAT THE REB'S BULLET HAD STRUCK ONE OF THE BEAUMONT BROTHERS IN THE FOREHEAD, KILLING HIM INSTANTLY.
BILL BEAUMONT
On June 18, 1864 in front of Petersburg brother John was killed while charging the enemy. By reading the history it almost sounds as though John was killed by artillery fire.
In front of Petersburg. On the night of the 17th, it pushed forward under a heavy artillery fire in support of a portion of the corps which had been actively engaged. On the morning of the 18th, the regiment advanced slowly, crossing the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad, and driving the enemy's skirmishers into their main line of works. About five P. M., the whole corps charged upon his entrenchments. The Eighty-eighth was in advance and after getting within sixty yards of his first line, was compelled to lie fiat upon the ground, a terrific fire of artillery being centered upon that portion of the line. Night coming on, slight earth-works were thrown up with the aid of bayonets, the regiment being so far in advance of the rest of the division that it could not be withdrawn or re-enforced. The colors were sent to the rear, Sergeant Ewing, of Company IB, who had originally enlisted as a drummer boy, crawling back with them. About midnight small spades were sent out to the command, the bearers being compelled to crawl along the ground, the enemy's sharp-shooters having complete control of the position. By daylight, sufficient entrenchments had been thrown up to afford some protection, and in the afternoon the regiment was relieved. Arriving at the railroad, it was ordered to the left of the brigade, and compelled to march over an exposed piece of ground, upon which his sharp
Brother Charles the youngest of the Beaumont brothers enlisted in the 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry’s company A. Company A was made up of men mostly from the St. Clair area.
The 7th Pa. Cav fought in the western theatre of the war.
Charles had a long military career first enlisting in Co. H of the 129th Regiment in August of 1862, having fighting at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, Then he enlisted in the 39th Pa. Militia in July of 1863, And finally mustered in to Company A of the 7th Pa. Cav. On Feb. 9, 184 and M.O. on the 23 of August 1865. he died in St. Clair on Jan 25, 1903 at St. Clair and is buried at odd fellows cemetery.
Just received this great find from the Great Grandson of Charles Beaumont. Bill Beaumont, who has given this interesting obituaries. Of two of the Beaumont boys.
KILLED BY THE FALL OF A LUMP OF COAL DOWN A SHAFT-ON MONDAY MORNING LAST ABOUT 11 O’CLOCK GEORGE BEAUMONT, EMPLOYED AT THE ST. CLAIR SHAFT,J.G. NORTHHALL PROPIETOR, WAS INSTANTLY KILLED ATTHE BOTTOM OF THE SHAFT WHILE REMOVING A WAGON FROM THE CAGE, BY A LUMP OF COAL FALLING ON HIS HEAD FROM THE TOP OF THE SHAFT, A DISTANCE OF BETWEEN FIVE AND SIX HUNDRED FEET. HE RESIDED IN ST. CLAIR, WAS A RETURNED SOLDIER, AND A GOOD CITIZEN HE LEAVES A WIFE. HIS REMAINS WERE INTERRED ON THURSDAY ATTENDED TO THE GRAVE BY POST NO. 47, G.A.R., EAGLE TEMPLE OF HONOR, AND THE WORKINGMEN’S BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION. (POTTSVILLE MINERS JOURNAL)(DIED 11/30/1868)
DEATH OF CHAS. C. BEAUMONT A VETERAN OF THE CIVIL WAR FROM OUR ST. CLAIR CORRESPONDENT AGAIN ARE WE CALLED UPON TO RECORD THE DEATH OF A VETERAN OF THE CIVIL WAR. ONE BY ONE THE RANKS OF THE OLD COMRADES ARE BEING VISITED BY THE GRIM REAPER AND THEIR RANKS THINNED AS THEY GO TO ANSWER THE LONG ROLL CALL. SUNDAY MORNING THE SPIRIT OF CHAS. C. BEAUMONT, ONE OF OUR TOWN’S BEST AND STAUNHEST CITIZENS, WAS GIVEN UP TO ITS MAKER MR. BEAUMONT 10 DAYS AGO CONTRACTED A HEAVY COLD WHICH DID NOT YIELD TO MEDICAL TREATMENT AND LATER RESULTED IN HIS DEATH. OUR TOWN COULD BOAST OF FEW MEN WITH AS VALUABLE AND HEROIC A WAR RECORD AS MR. BEAUMONT POSSESSED. BORN IN TOWN 59 YEARS AGO, HE HAS RESIDE HERE EVER SINCE. HE CAME OF A FAMILY OF SOLIDERS AS HISTORY PROVES FEW FAMILIES IN THIS COUNTRY SHEDDING MORE BLOOD THAN DID THE BEAUMONT BOYS. AT THE OUTBREAK OF THE WAR OF THE REBEILLION THE FOUR BEAUMONT BROTHERS WERE AMONGST THE FIRST VOLUNTEERS WHO RUSHED TO THE DEFENCE OF THERE COUNTRY AND ITS FLAG, OF THESE, WILLIAM DIED ON THE BLOODY FIELD OF GETTYSBURG,JOHN WAS SLAIN AT THE BATTLE OF PETERSBURG, AND GEORGE WAS WOUNDED AT GETTYSBURG, AND DIED LATER AT ST.CLAIR, AND CHARLES, THE YOUNGEST OF THESE HEROES WAS WOUNDED WHILE ON THE SKIRMISH LINES AT SALMA, ALABAMA. HE SERVED MORE THAN THREE YEARS IN THE ARMY ENLISTING JULY 27, 1862, AND BEING MUSTERED OUT AUGUST 23, 1865. HE WAS A BRAVE SOLIDER, FEARLESS AND WRITTEN COMMENDATIONS OF HIS SUPERIOR OFFICERS FOR GALLANTRY IN ACTION. THE REGIMENTS HE SAW SERVICE IN WAS THE 39TH AND 129TH PENNA. VOL. INF. AND THE FAMOUS 7TH PENNA. CAVALRY. AS A CITIZEN HE WAS UPRIGHT, OF A QUIET DISPOSITION, A MAN WHO WAS BETTER KNOWN AT HOME THAN ON THE STREET, AND WHO BY HIS STERILING QUALITIES MADE LEGIONS OF FRIENDS. FOR MANY YEARS HE TOILED IN THE MINES UNTIL 10 YEARS AGO HE WAS INJURED AND OBLIGED TO RETIRE. FROM 1897 TO 1900 HE WAS MAYOR OF OUR TOWN AND PROVED A FAITHFUL OFFICER, EARNEST IN THE DISCHARGE OF HIS DUTIES. FOUR YEARS AGO HE WAS THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICANT FOR THE MAIL ROUTE BETWEEN HERE AND WADE AND DAILY MADE HIS TRIP OVER THE MOUNTAIN. HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIDOW, TWO SISTERS, MRS. WM. WIGGAM, AND MRS. WM. R. MASON, OF TOWN, AND THE FOLLOWING CHILDREN: W. LINCOLN, FOREMAN ON THE DAILY JOURNAL, AT ASBURY PARK, N.J.: JOHATHAN AND JOHN, MARRIED, RESIDING IN TOWN, AND MATTIE, MARGARET, ELMER, HARRY AND MARY AT HOME. THE FUNERAL WILL TAKE PLACE ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AT 2:00 O’CLOCK. THE FUNERAL WILL BE ATTENDED BY ALL THE MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS OF TOWN. MR. BEAUMONT FOR MANY YEARS WAS A SERGEANT IN K CO., 8TH REGT., N.G.P. INTERMENT WILL BE MADE IN THE ODD FELLOWS CEMETERY. (POTTSVILLE MINERS JOURNAL) (DIED 1/25/1903)
Once Again Thank You,
WILLIAM BEAUMONT
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