Powhatan Beaty | |
|---|---|
 First Sergeant Powhatan Beaty, of the 5th United States Colored Infantry Regiment, who was awarded the Medal of Honor, for taking command of his company at the Battle of Chaffin's Farm, after all officers had been killed and/or wounded. | |
| Born | October 8, 1837 Richmond, Virginia |
| Died | December 6, 1916 (aged 79) Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Place of burial | Union Baptist Cemetery, Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Allegiance | |
| Service/ | |
| Years of service | 1863–1865 |
| Rank |  First Sergeant |
| Unit | 5th Regiment United States Colored Troops |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards |  Medal of Honor |
| Other work | Actor |
Powhatan Beaty (October 8, 1837 – December 6, 1916) was an African American soldier and actor. During the American Civil War, he served in the Union Army's 5th United States Colored Infantry Regiment throughout the Richmond–Petersburg Campaign. He received America's highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor, for taking command of his company at the Battle of Chaffin's Farm, after all officers had been killed or wounded.
Following the war, he became an orator and actor, appearing in amateur theater productions in his home of Cincinnati, Ohio. His most well-known stage performance was an 1884 appearance at Ford's Opera House on 9th Street in Washington, D.C., opposite Henrietta Vinton Davis.