Robert F. Beckham was born on May 6, 1837 in Culpeper, Virgina. He was living in Warrenton when he was appointed to West Point (West Point Class of 1859), granduating 6th in his class of 22. Beckham served as a brevet second lieutenant with the United States Topographical Engineers until 1861, when he resigned with the coming of the war.

Beckham became an artillery lieutenant with the Provisional Confederate Army in March of 1861. He was a lieutenant in the Newtown Artillery at the First Battle of Manassas, commanding the battery while its captain was absent recruiting. After the battle he transferred to the Jeff Davis (Alabama) Artillery during the winter of 1861-62.

On January 14, 1862 he joined the staff of General Gustavus Smith, serving as an Ordnance Officer with a promotion to major. The Jeff Davis (Alabama) Artillery elected him as its Captain, but he chose to remain on General Smith’s staff.

In April of 1863 Stuart requested Beckham as a replacement for the fallen John Pelham as commander of the Stuart Horse Artillery. Beckham commanded the cavalry’s artillery batteries during the Battle of Chancellorsville, which was fought only twenty miles from where Beckham grew up at Culpeper. He was praised by General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson – a General who loved artillery and was not easy to impress – for his work at Chancellorsville. His guns had fired the first shots of Jackson’s flank attack and kept pace with the lead infantry down the Orange Turnpike until nightfall. He was also commended for gallantry at the Battle of Brandy Station in June of 1863, at the beginning of the Gettysburg Campaign.

In February of 1864 Beckham transferred to the Army of the Tennessee and was given command of the army’s artillery with a promotion to colonel. He was mortally wounded at the Battle of Franklin on November 29, 1864, and died on December 5 at the age of 27.

Robert Beckham is buried at St. John’s Church in Ashwood, Tennessee.