Charles Bennett (b. 1836
- d. 1923)
MSA SC 3520-4973
USCT Soldier, Queen Anne's County, Maryland
Biography:
Charles Bennett was born as a slave in Queen Anne's County on December 25, 1836.1 His parents were John Bennett and Susan Johnson.2 As a slave, he was owned by William H. Beck, a property owner that resided "near Chestertown."3 Beck recorded that he "became possessed of him (Bennett) by purchase from the administrator of Washington Harrison in the month of November Eighteen hundred and Fifty three."4 Bennett was not purchased from any person disloyal to the "Government of the United States," meaning Harrison was considered a loyal citizen.5 According to the 1850 slave schedule, Beck owned seven slaves.6 Above Beck's name on the slave schedule was Washington Harrison's, who owned four slaves.7
Before Beck could be awarded compensation, he had to prove his loyalty to the United States government. He completed his oath of allegiance in front of witnesses, Joshua S. Cosden and Richard F. Meredith, who were considered loyal citizens of the United States and also well acquainted with Beck.8 Cosden and Meredith helped to prove his allegiance to the United States, which helped Beck gain compensation for his slave joining the U.S. Army. Several other witnesses certified Beck's honor and unquestionable loyalty to the United States.9 Beck did not own a wealth of slaves and in order to gain compensation he possibly decided to begin manumitting them. In Bennett's manumission, Beck wrote "in consideration of said enlistment manumit, set free, and release the above named Charles Bennett" and "his freedom to commence from the date of his enlistment."10 However, the manumission did not appear to be officially acknowledged with witnesses until May 24, 1864.11
With Bennett being manumitted, Beck was eligible to receive compensation of $100 for the loss of his slave, which was paid to him on May 25, 1865.12 According to the Act of 1864, Chapter 15, Section 4, "to the owner of every negro slave who shall agree to the enlistment of his slave as above, the sum of one hundred dollars shall be paid when such owner shall file with the proper authority a good and valid deed of manumission."13 Beck, like many slaveowners, may have viewed this as their final opportunity to receive compensation for the loss of their slaves as the institution of slavery was rapidly deteriorating. Not only were slaveowners entitled to compensation, but free blacks and slaves also counted towards the state quota, thus many slaveowners could have protected their family members from having to join the war.14 There is no mention of an owner receiving more than $100 as compensation, but the U.S. Board of Claims awarded a compensation amount of "three hundred dollars" to Beck for the "service of slave Charles Bennett."15
Bennett enlisted as a private on September 27, 1863 in Company E of the 7th U.S. Colored Troops regiment.16 He enlisted in Baltimore, Maryland under the direction of Col. Wm. Birney and was to serve for a term of three years.17 In January 1864, he "contracted mumps from exposure, he contracted cold, and from the same resulted in piles."18 Bennett also sustained a leg injury while in Jacksonville, Florida in the summer of 1864 and was treated in Benedict, Charles County, Maryland.19 The 7th regiment was involved in numerous battles and skirmishes in states that included Virginia, South Carolina, and Florida.20 Some battles he participated in were John's Island, S.C. on July 9, 1864 and Deep Bottom, Va. on August 14, 1864.21 On July 15, 1864, Bennett was promoted to corporal and was reduced in rank before the close of the war.22
From April 1865 until October 1866, the 7th regiment served as a garrison at Indianola, Texas.23 The regiment traveled back to Maryland and reached Fort Federal Hill on November 4, 1866.24 The regiment camped at Federal Hill until November 15, then received payment for their services and offiicially disbanded.25 Charles Bennett was honorably discharged from the service on October 13, 1866.26 He had acquired a pensionable service of two years, 10 months, and 24 days.27 Although, the 1890 veterans schedule records his length of service as three years and one month.28
After the war, he permanently moved to Baltimore, Maryland and became a laborer. However, he was unable to earn a steady living because he suffered with a crippled left hand, an infection in his right leg, an injured ankle, rheumatism, and vertigo.29 Bennett was married twice throughout the remainder of his life. His first marriage was to Lucy A. Bryan who died October 31, 1888.30 In 1880, Bennett was residing on Chestnut Street with his wife, Lucy, and their children: Harriett, Florence, and Joseph.31 Despite his inability to perform laborious activities, he was a "hod carrier" by occupation.32 Their daughter, Harriett, was "at school" at the time the census was taken.33 On June 12, 1890, two years after the death of his first wife, Charles was remarried to Sarah J. Brown, nee Pratt and they were married in Baltimore, Maryland by Reverend E.W.S. Pack, D.D. Asbury M.E. Church.34 Sarah was first married to Edward Brown who died in 1881.35 In 1890, Charles was residing at 1207 N. Wolf Street in Baltimore.36
By 1900, Bennett was residing on Russell Street with his wife, Sarah, and their seven year old daughter, Ida.37 Charles was working as a "whitewasher" and was renting a home.38 Sometime after 1900, Charles would eventually move to Anne Arundel County, Maryland. On January 9, 1909, Bennett was receiving a pension rate of $15.00 per month at Robinson Station in Anne Arundel County.39 On May 17, 1912, his pension rate was increased to $24.00 per month while he was residing in Earliegh Heights, Anne Arundel County.40 Two years later, in 1914, Bennett was earning a pension of $30.00 per month while still residing in Earliegh Heights.41 By 1920, Bennett was approved to receive a pension rate of $72.00 per month, which commenced on October 19.42 In 1920, Charles was renting a home with Sarah on Somerset Street and he was employed as a "whitewasher."43
After living in Baltimore for 52 years, Charles Bennett died on March 11, 1923 at his residence of 420 Somerset Street in Ward 5.44 His cause of death was "apoplexy and palpitations of the heart."45 Three days later, on March 14, he was buried at the National Cemetery.46 After his death, Sarah began to receive a pension of $30 per month on March 26, 1923.47 Sarah J. Bennett was residing at 937 Sterling Street in Baltimore, Maryland when she passed away on January 28, 1935.48
For a visual representation of Charles Bennett's journey from slavery to freedom, please click here. Users must have access to Google Earth in order to utilize this file, which includes landmarks(pins) in Bennett's life from 1836 to 1923. You may take the tour and investigate individual sites under the "Places" tab on the left of the screen, or you may navigate using the slider and cursor on the map itself.
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