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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

First Sergeant · U.S. Army

Powhatan Beaty

First Sergeant Powhatan Beaty, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on September 29, 1864 at Chapin's Farm, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War September 29, 1864

First Sergeant Powhatan Beaty, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on September 29, 1864 at Chapin's Farm, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company G, 5th U.S. Colored Infantry. Beaty was 26 years old.

37 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on April 6, 1865.

Beaty was born on October 8, 1837 in Richmond, Richmond County, Virginia. His Medal of Honor is credited to Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio. Beaty died on December 6, 1916 in Cincinnati, Ohio, at the age of 79. He is buried at Union Baptist Church Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Beaty is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 256 credited to Ohio.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Took command of his company, all the officers having been killed or wounded, and gallantly led it.

Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.

Battles and campaigns

1864 · Civil War

Battle of Chaffin's Farm

Result: Union victory

24 Medal of Honor recipients

Also served in: Battle of Fair Oaks & Darbytown Road, American Civil War.

Life beyond the battlefield

  • Occupations: stage actor, actor

Source: Wikidata.

Places

  • Born: Richmond — map
  • Died: Cincinnati — map
  • Buried: Union Baptist Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Ohio →

Timeline

  1. October 8, 1837
    Born in Richmond, Richmond County, Virginia
  2. September 29, 1864
    Act of valor — Chapin's Farm, Virginia
    Age 26. Company G, 5th U.S. Colored Infantry
  3. April 6, 1865
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. December 6, 1916
    Died in Cincinnati, Ohio
    Age 79.
  5. Resting place
    Union Baptist Church Cemetery
    Cincinnati, Ohio

Biography

Powhatan Beaty (October 8, 1837 – December 6, 1916) was an African American soldier and actor. During the American Civil War, he served in the Union Army's 5th United States Colored Infantry Regiment throughout the Richmond–Petersburg Campaign. He received America's highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor, for taking command of his company at the Battle of Chaffin's Farm, after all officers had been killed or wounded. Following the war, he became an orator and actor, appearing in amateur theater productions in his home of Cincinnati, Ohio.

From the Wikipedia article “Powhatan Beaty”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Videos

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Also honored for actions on September 29, 1864

LA Lester Archer Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 ✦ WB William Henry Barnes Private · Army Civil War · 1864 TB Thomas Belcher Private · Army Civil War · 1864 CB Charles Blucher Corporal · Army Civil War · 1864 JB James Brady Private · Army Civil War · 1864 JB James H. Bronson First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 GB George A. Buchanan Private · Army Civil War · 1864 ✦ FB Frederick Clarence Buck Corporal · Army Civil War · 1864 CC Cecil Clay Captain · Army Civil War · 1864 NE Nathan Huntley Edgerton First Lieutenant & Adjutant · Army Civil War · 1864 AF Augustin D. Flanagan Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 Christian A. Fleetwood Sergeant Major · Army Civil War · 1864

See all 38 recipients for September 29, 1864 →

More Civil War recipients from Ohio

DA David Ayers Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 TT Thomas W. Thompson Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 GW George Wilhelm Captain · Army Civil War · 1863 John Alfred Wilson Private · Army Civil War · 1862 GM George S. Myers Private · Army Civil War · 1863 Franz Frey Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Wikidata and Wikipedia. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.