Freelance Historian

Charles Augustus Beck (1828-1895):

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Commissioned as chaplain of the 26^th Pennsylvania Volunteers June 1, 1861 Beck was one of several men in the regiment stricken with disease in July 1862 from action in the Chickahominy swamp during the Seven Days campaign (11 men died of disease in this campaign.)

Rev. Beck returned to the unit September 15, 1862, having missed the battle of Second Bull Run, and served with the Regiment throughout their term of service, seeing the battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, and Spotsylvania Court House, among others. At Gettysburg, the 26^th was placed on an exposed flank with no cover by General Sickles, and suffered heavily:

The Twenty-sixth went into battle with three hundred and sixty-four enlisted men, of whom two hundred and thirteen were killed and wounded; out of eighteen officers two were killed and nine severely wounded; two of the nine died of their wounds, and five were disabled from further service and made cripples for life; three color bearers were killed. The severity of the loss was owing to the faulty position of the line, and the entire absence of shelter, either natural or constructed; but it inflicted as well as suffered great slaughter.

Beck is mentioned in the official history of the 26^th Pennsylvania Volunteers, a rare occurrence for a chaplain:

The moral and religious interests of the men were studiously cared for by the chaplain, Rev. Charles A. Beck. In July, 1862, a few patriotic ladies in Philadelphia presented the regiment with a chapel tent. This was regularly pitched in the camp while in winter quarters, and was kept well supplied with books, magazines, papers and writing materials, making it a favorite place of resort. Preaching twice on Sunday, with prayer meetings twice in the week, singing class and temperance meetings during week day evenings, exerted an excellent influence, the tent being regularly filled with a quiet, attentive audience.

Official History of 26th Pennsylvania Infantry