First Lieutenant Orson W. Bennett (November 17, 1841 – January 8, 1904) was an American soldier who fought in the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. Bennett received the country's highest award for bravery during combat, the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

, for his action at

Honey Hill, South Carolina Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of plants (primaril ...

on 30 November 1864. He was honored with the award on 9 March 1887.

Biography

Bennett was born in Union City in

Branch County, Michigan Branch County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 44,862. The county seat is Coldwater. As one of the " cabinet counties" it was named for the U.S. Secretary of the Navy John Branch under Presi ...

. He enlisted into the 1st Iowa Volunteers at

Dubuque, Iowa Dubuque (, ) is the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. At the time of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population of Dubuque was 59,667. The city lies at the junction of Iowa, Il ...

. Having left the war due to injuries he received during the

Battle of Wilson's Creek The Battle of Wilson's Creek, also known as the Battle of Oak Hills, was the first major battle of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War. It was fought on August 10, 1861, near Springfield, Missouri, Springfield, Missou ...

, he subsequently re-enlisted into the 12th Wisconsin Infantry and was later a lieutenant in the 102d U.S. Colored Troops. He received the medal of honor for his action on 30 November 1864, during the

Battle of Honey Hill The Battle of Honey Hill was the third battle of Sherman's March to the Sea, fought November 30, 1864, during the American Civil War. It did not involve Major General William T. Sherman's main force, marching from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia, b ...

. The 3rd New York Battery having been decimated and leaving behind useful artillery, Bennett led his infantry unto the battlefield to recover the cannons. After several attempts his men were finally able to recover the artillery. Bennett died on January 8, 1904. His remains are interred at

Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania Bala Cynwyd ( ) is a community in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania. It is located on the Philadelphia Main Line in Southeastern Pennsylvania, bordering the western edge of Philadelphia at U.S. Route 1 (City Avenue). It was originally two separa ...

Medal of Honor citation

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bennett, Orson W. 1841 births 1904 deaths People of Michigan in the American Civil War Union Army officers United States Army Medal of Honor recipients American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor People from Union City, Michigan

Biography

Medal of Honor citation

See also

References