Samuel Benton
| Samuel Benton | |
|---|---|
| Born |
October 18, 1820 Williamson County, Tennessee |
| Died |
July 28, 1864 Griffin, Georgia |
| Buried at |
Hillcrest Cemetery Holly Springs, Mississippi |
| Allegiance |
.svg.png){kind=small} Confederate States of America |
| Service/branch |
 Confederate States Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1864 |
| Rank |
 Colonel Brigadier General[1] |
| Unit | 9th Mississippi Infantry Regiment |
| Commands held |
34th Mississippi Infantry Regiment Walthall's Brigade |
| Battles/wars | |
| Other work | attorney, newspaper publisher, politician |
Samuel Benton (1820–1864) was an American attorney, newspaper publisher and politician. He served as a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.
Early life
Samuel Benton was born on October 18, 1820, in Williamson County, Tennessee. He was a prominent lawyer in Holly Springs, Mississippi. He was also the publisher of a newspaper, The Mississippi Times; Number I of which appeared in April 1853.
In politics he was an Old Line Whig and in favor of states' rights. He was a member of both the Union Convention of 1855 and the Mississippi Secession Convention of 1861. He served on the Ways and Means Committee at the Secession Convention. In 1852, he served in the Mississippi state legislature.[2]
Civil War
During the American Civil War, Benton enlisted for Mississippi state service in early 1861. He was elected captain in the "Old" 9th Mississippi Infantry, 12 month regiment. In March 1861 the regiment went to Mobile AL, then marched from there to Pensacola, FL. When the enlistments of the original 9th Regiment soldiers was up, he was made Colonel of the 34th Mississippi Infantry Regiment (known as the 37th Regiment for a short period of time). The Regiment saw its first service under General Earl Van Dorn, during his attempt to drive back the Federal Army during the movement to Corinth, MS after the Battle of Shiloh. Col Benton was commended, as was the regiment for its behavior during the engagement.
Benton and the 34th Mississippi Infantry accompanied General Braxton Bragg's army to Chattanooga, TN in July 1862, then in August joined General William J. Hardee's Corps back to Middle Tennessee, into Kentucky, and fought at the Battle of Perryville, KY, where the 34th fought successfully but at great cost. Benton was wounded, and his Lt Col and Major were both permanently disabled. Due to his wounds, Benton was absent from the 34th at Chickamauga. He was back in command at the Battle of Lookout Mountain, where the regiment was on the picket line at the base of the mountain. The 34th was overrun by four columns of Union infantry, and around 200 men were captured.
In the Atlanta Campaign, Benton commanded the 29th Mississippi Infantry, the 30th Mississippi Infantry, and the 34th at the Battle of Alt's Gap. Benton commanded the 34th in Walthall's Brigade at the Battle of Resaca. The Brigade was flanked by Federal artillery, and there are few if any instances during the war of greater losses by artillery fire than Walthall's Brigade at Resaca. But the brigade was immovable and defended the position for both days.
When Gen. Walthall was promoted to division command; Benton was given command of the brigade. At the Battle of Atlanta on Jul 22 1864, while commanding the brigade, Col Samuel Benton was severely wounded, being struck in the chest by an artillery shell fragment and another wound in the right foot; causing the loss of his leg.
Death and legacy
Benton died six days later in Griffin, Georgia. He died before his promotion to Brigadier General, dated two days earlier, reached him.[3] He was buried at Griffin, Georgia, and reinterred after the war in Hillcrest Cemetery in Holly Springs, Mississippi.[4][5] He was survived by his wife, Rowena Graham Knox Benton, and a child.
Benton County, Mississippi, established in 1870, was named for General Benton.
See also
References
- ↑ His commission was dated July 26; but he died two days afterwards before it was transmitted to him.
- ↑ Confederate Veteran Magazine, Vol. XI, No. 3, May–June 1992
- ↑ Dunbar Rowland "Military History of Mississippi, 1803-1898"
- ↑ Confederate Veteran Magazine, Vol. XI, No. 3, May–June 1992
- ↑ "Browse by Cemetery: Hill Crest Cemetery". Find a Grave. Retrieved September 12, 2015.
External links
- Samuel Benton Find a Grave No. 10835. Retrieved May 7, 2016.