There was no fighting at the Danville river bridge.

John G. Beatty belonged to Co. "G", 51^st Tennessee Regiment, a company raised in Tipton County. He can be found on page 348 of the Tipton County census for 1860. A day book kept by the regimental clerk mentions being moved from camp at Henderson to Danville to guard the bridge on Jan. 28, 1862. From that point the regiment was sent to Fort Henry on the state line, which was attacked on Feb. 6, 1862. All the infantry at Fort Henry was ordered east to Fort Donelson before the attack began. The Tennessee River was then open all the way south to Mussel Shoals, Ala., which Federal gunboats quickly reached.

http://www.tngenweb.org/civilwar/csainf/csa51.html

Perhaps Beatty died at Danville on Feb. 3, 1862. Disease cost many more lives than bullets during the war, and new recruits often fell victim to various illnesses, inadequate hygene and poor medical treatment. Quite possibly his military service file will state the cause of death. Copies can be ordered here --

The map below shows the railroad bridge over the Tennessee, and Fort Henry, captured by Federal gunboats on Feb. 6th.