Robert Bennett (b. 1843
- d. 1913)
MSA SC 5496-51308
USCT Soldier, Dorchester County, Maryland
Biography:
Robert Bennett was born in 1843 at Horn's Point in the Cambridge district of Dorchester County, Maryland.1 He was born in the year of 1843, but the exact date is unknown.2 His parents were Daniel Bennett and Harriet Copper, both of whom were born in Maryland.3 Before the opening of the Civil War, Robert Bennett was a slave owned by William T. Goldsborough.4 Matilda Boulden testified in a deposition that Bennett “belonged to William T. Goldsborough and I to his relative John C. Henry.”5 Samuel H. Jackson testified in a deposition that his parents, along with Bennett were also owned by "the Goldsborough family."6
George W. Bell testified in a deposition that he saw Robert Bennett “before he joined the army as he was the slave of old man Billy Goldsborough of Horns Point while I belonged to Mr. James Gore of Salem, Maryland, eighteen miles from Bennetts place.”7 Bell is able to provide the location of Goldsborough’s farm, which is “Horns Point” where Robert Bennett was a slave in Dorchester County. In 1860, Goldsborough was a wealthy lawyer living in District 7 of Dorchester County.8 According to land records, Goldsborough purchased land in 1838 that situated near "Fishing Creek," which is located in District 7.9 The value of Goldsborough’s real estate was $46,800, while the value of his personal estate was $97,670.10
Barnes enlisted as a private on September 26, 1863 and served as a corporal in Company D of the 7th U.S. Colored Troops regiment.11 He was mustered in by Colonel Wm. Birney at Dorchester County to serve for a term of three years.12 Goldsborough received $100 in compensation for the loss of his slave.13 After serving for one year, the war effort took a drastic turn for Robert Bennett. On June 28, 1864, he was "absent sick" from service during a campaign in Jacksonville, Florida.14 During a battle at Chapin’s Farm, Virginia on September 29, 1864, Robert was critically wounded by a gunshot.15 He was forced to have his right leg amputated as a result from the wound.16 From March to June 1865, Bennett was "absent sick wounded in hospital Willietts Point N.Y. Harbor since September 29, 1864."17
As a result of his wound, Bennett was discharged early from the U.S. Colored Troops on May 17, 1865.18 His discharge came at Point of Rocks, Virginia due to wounds that disabled him.19 The veterans schedules for 1890 shows that he served for one year and nine months before being discharged due to his injury.20 According to the 1870 census, Robert's occupation was listed as a "disable soldier" and he was living with Joseph Nichols, who was a waiter, and three others.21 The census also showed that he had accumulated a real estate value of $500 and he had a personal estate value of $100.22
Robert Bennett's first wife, Lydia Wing passed away on November 27, 1877.23 Matilda Boulden states in an affidavit that she attended Lydia's funeral and "saw her body lowered in the grave in Wough Chapel Cemetery located in Cambridge, Md."24 According to multiple affidavits, the couple had two children together, but their names were not listed.25 On October 21, 1885, Robert Bennett and Lavinia Chase were married by Reverend William H. Thomas in Cambridge, Maryland.26 The records were said to exist in the court house and in the form of a marriage certificate.27 Lavinia was previously married to William Williams who had also served in the U.S. Colored Troops.28 However, William went insane and was sent to Bayview Asylum in Baltimore where he died in 1881.29 Lavinia stated that she did not apply for a pension as the widow of William Williams because she did not know anything about pensions at the time.30
Mary Louisa Crew, the wife of Richard B. Crew who served in the same regiment as Robert Bennett gave a deposition in the pension case of Lavinia Bennett.31 She stated that she and Lavinia had become close friends by the time the troops were discharged.32 Mary and Lavinia were both living in Baltimore at the time she met Robert Bennett.33 Lavinia had returned to Cambridge for a short period before she remarried.34 According to Mary, Robert Bennett wanted to live in Cambridge as opposed to Baltimore.35 Mary stated that Lavinia was well-received in Baltimore and had a good reputation before she moved back to Cambridge with Robert Bennett.36 Robert and Lavinia had no children together.37
Robert Bennett was pensioned at a rate of $40 per month because of the severity of his injury.38 According to Lavinia Bennett, Robert died on July 21, 1913 of “brights disease and complications, with spinal meningitis” at his residence 319 High Street, Cambridge, Maryland.39 He was around 70 years old at the time of his death and was buried in Cambridge, Maryland on July 24, 1913.40
Researched and Written by Tanner Sparks, 2012.
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