The Evening Telegraph

THE SURVEYOR-GENERALSHIP.

Colonel Robert B. Beath, the Republican Candidate.

We published yesterday a sketch of Dr. David Stanton, who has received the Republican nomination for Auditor-General. Colonel Robert B. Beath, who was nominated for Surveyor-General by a vote of 87 to 40 for Samuel L. Smedley, of this city, was born in this city January 29, 1839. He is of Scotch parentage. He commenced life as an apprentice in the Southwark foundry of Messrs. Merrick & Sons, and graduated from that establishment as a skilful and competent machinist. On the 20th of April, 1861, he enlisted as a private in Company G, 1st Pennsylvania Regiment, and after three months service he was mustered out as a sergeant. On the 5th of September, 1861, he joined Company D, 88th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was made sergeant, and in that capacity served until December 18, 1862, when he was promoted to second lieutenant. At the second battle of Bull Run he was wounded in the foot. He was promoted to captain in August, 1863, and was placed in command of Company A, 6th Regiment United States Colored Troops, and he served with this regiment and company throughout the campaign before Petersburg and on the James river. On the 29th of September, 1864, he was again wounded in the foot in a charge on the Rebel works at New Market or Chapin's Farm, and an amputation of the right leg below the knee was rendered necessary. So soon as he was able to leave the hospital, he was assigned to duty at Camp William Penn, near Philadelphia. In August, 1865, he returned to his regiment, and was placed in charge of the counties of Hanover and Brunswick, forming the sub-District of Wilmington, under the Freedmen's Bureau. In this position he remained until September 20, 1865, when he was mustered out with his regiment, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. In 1866 Colonel Beath was a candidate for Common Council on the Republican ticket in the Third ward, and was defeated. General Bingham afterwards appointed him sub-postmaster at Station D, at Second and Master streets. This position he left in July, 1867, to become a book-keeper in one of the largest collieries of Schuylkill county.