Richard Lee Turberville Beale was an American lawyer, congressman from Virginia, and a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.
Background
Richard Beale was born on May 22, 1819, at Hickory Hill, Westmoreland County, Virginia, a descendant of Thomas Beale, who came from England to York County in 1645 and served as a member of Gov. Berkeley's council. His son removed to Westmoreland County, where the family was prominent for the next two hundred years. The Hickory Hill estate was settled by the Turbervilles about 1700, and came into the possession of Robert Beale on his marriage with Martha Felicia, the daughter of George Lee Turberville, an officer in the Revolutionary army and an early member of Phi Beta Kappa.
Education
Richard Beale was educated at Dickinson College and at the University of Virginia.
Career
Richard Beale was admitted to the bar in 1839, and took up the practise of law near his birthplace. He was a member of Congress from 1847 to 1849, a delegate to the state constitutional convention in 1851, and a state senator from 1858 to 1860. In May 1861 he was mustered into the Confederate service as a first lieutenant of "Lee's Legion, " or "Lee's Light Horse. " A month later he saw his first fighting when he commanded a small force which put out in two flatboats from Mathias Point to capture a vessel aground in the Potomac. Lee's Legion was sent to join the army at Bull Run, but arrived the day after the battle, and soon returned to patrol duty along the Potomac. Beale was promoted to captain in July and major in October. Next spring the legion was merged in the 9th Virginia Cavalry, of which Beale was appointed lieutenant-colonel in April and colonel in October.
Beale served with the regiment in all the campaigns of the Army of Northern Virginia, with credit but not with satisfaction. For some reason, which does not appear, he offered his resignation three times, at decent intervals - November 22, 1862, February 8, 1863, and August 25, 1863 - but it was not accepted. In his last letter of resignation, he pleaded to be allowed to organize a company of rangers or to enlist as a private. Severely wounded in a skirmish in September 1863, he was unable to resume command for more than three months. Late in 1864 he was given command of a brigade, and his appointment as brigadier-general was recommended. Just at that time, however, a large draft was made upon the adjutant-general's force of clerks, for service in the field, and in the confusion Beale's papers were misplaced. It was not until February 6, 1865, that the appointment was made. After the general surrender he again took up the practise of law at Hague, in his native county, where he lived the rest of his life. He was again a member of Congress from 1879 to 1881. Beale died near Hague, Virginia, and was buried there at Hickory Hill Cemetery.
Membership
Richard Beale was a member of the Virginia Senate from Westmoreland, Richmond, Lancaster and Northumberland Counties (1858–1860); a member of the U. S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 8th district (1847-1849); a member of the U. S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 1st district (1879-1881).
