Today we remember Second Lieutenant David H. Bevans, Company G, 2nd Virginia State Reserves (2nd Class Militia). David Hudson Bevans was born in Accomack County, Virginia, on 22 August 1826, the son of Jesse and Nancy Anne Bevans. Bevans was the widower of Ellen Burland Bevans (d. 28 May 1860 ), and the father of Fannie, Henry and Mary Ellen Bevans. Bevams (Bevans) was a conductor on the Richmond and Fredericksburg Railroad, and was a Second Lieutenant in Company G (Captain Samuel C. Ruth’s Company) of the 2nd Regiment Virginia State Reserves (2nd Class Militia). The company was made up of employees of the railroad and only required to perform service in cases of emergency. An article with the headline “Shooting Affray” appeared in the Daily Dispatch of 8 November 1864: --On Saturday last, while the Fredericksburg train was preparing to leave depot for this city, a resident of that place, named James Scott, stepped up, and drawing a revolver, discharged one barrel of it at the of Captain Bivens, one of the conductors employed on the road, inflicting a severe wound in one of his hands and cutting a piece out of a note-book in which he was in the act of entering a memorandum at the time. Mr. Scott immediately, surrendered himself up to the civil authorities, but was subsequently released upon giving bail in the sum of the thousand dollars for his appearance to undergo an examination. The difficulty is said to have originated in consequence of some indignity offered by Divans to Scotts wife. Second Lieutenant David H. Bevans died on 1 December 1864 at the Officers’ Hospital (Richmond Alms House) from complications resulting from the earlier amputation of his right hand and wrist. Bevans was buried in Shockoe Hill Cemetery that same day, the interment book entry reading, “Lieut. D.H. Bevins, 39 yrs., Killed by Scott.” The following day the newspaper reported that Bivens’ (Bevans’) funeral at the Broad Street Methodist Church had been attended by officers and employees of the railroad, his militia unit, the fire department, and a large group of family and friends. On 7 December 1864 James Scott, reported by the Daily Dispatch as being a Private in Company I, 10th Virginia Infantry, was committed to Richmond’s Castle Thunder (the notorious Richmond military prison ) and charged with the murder of Lieutenant Bevans. Scott was tried in Caroline County, Virginia, and acquitted of the charge of murder. Private James S. Scott, Company I, 10th Virginia Cavalry was taken prisoner by the Federal Army and paroled at Ashland, Virginia, on 25 April 1865. The grave of Lieutenant Bevans has never been marked.
Posted on: Mon, 26 Jan 2015 12:00:00 +0000
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