William Plummer Benton (December 25, 1828 – March 14, 1867) was an American

lawyer A lawyer is a person who practices law. The role of a lawyer varies greatly across different legal jurisdictions. A lawyer can be classified as an advocate, attorney, barrister, canon lawyer, civil law notary, counsel, counselor, solic ...

and soldier who served in both the

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...

and 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 ...

, where he would rise to the rank of

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

and, in 1866, after his service had ended, would be awarded the

brevet Brevet may refer to: Military * Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay * Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college * Aircre ...

grade of

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Early life

Benton was born in

New Market New Market may refer to: Bangladesh *New Market, Dhaka *New Market, Khulna, in Sonadanga Model Thana *New Market, Chittagong, near Government City College, Chittagong India * New Market, Bhopal *New Market, Kolkata Jamaica *New Market, Jama ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

. His father died when he was four months old and in 1836, he moved with his mother to

Richmond, Indiana Richmond is a city in eastern Wayne County, Indiana. Bordering the state of Ohio, it is the county seat of Wayne County and is part of the Dayton, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 36,812. Situa ...

. Beginning at age 15, Benton spent 2–3 years in Cincinnati as a chairmaker. When Benton was 18 years old, he enlisted as a private in the Mexican War, and fought with gallantry in the mounted infantry at Contreras, Churubusco,

Chapultepec Chapultepec, more commonly called the "Bosque de Chapultepec" (Chapultepec Forest) in Mexico City, is one of the largest city parks in Mexico, measuring in total just over 686 hectares (1,695 acres). Centered on a rock formation called Chapultep ...

and

Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...

. Returning to Richmond at the war's end, he entered college to study law. He was admitted to the bar in Indiana in 1851 and began practice with Charles Clark. In 1852, he was elected district attorney of Wayne County on the Whig ticket and served until 1854. In 1854, he formed a partnership with J. B. Julian which continued until 1856, when he was elected judge of the Common pleas court, serving one term, until defeated for renomination in 1858. In 1855, Benton was married to Sarah A. Wiggins, daughter of Daniel A. Wiggins of Richmond. He and Sarah had three children, Walter, Jessie, and Mary. His wife died of

consumption Consumption may refer to: *Resource consumption *Tuberculosis, an infectious disease, historically * Consumption (ecology), receipt of energy by consuming other organisms * Consumption (economics), the purchasing of newly produced goods for curren ...

in 1861 at the age of 27.

Civil war

Benton raised the first company from Wayne County following Lincolns call for

75,000 volunteers On April 15, 1861, at the start of the American Civil War, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln called for a 75,000-man militia to serve for three months following the bombardment and surrender of Fort Sumter. Some southern states refused to send tro ...

. He was its captain when the company became part of the 8th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment, but was elected the regiment's

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

. He led the 8th Indiana in some the earliest fighting of the war during McClellan's Western Virginia campaign of 1861, including the

Battle of Rich Mountain The Battle of Rich Mountain took place on July 11, 1861, in Randolph County, Virginia (now West Virginia) as part of the Operations in Western Virginia Campaign during the American Civil War. Background Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan assumed com ...

. The regiment was then ordered to Missouri. Benton is said to have commanded a brigade at the

Battle of Pea Ridge The Battle of Pea Ridge (March 7–8, 1862), also known as the Battle of Elkhorn Tavern, took place in the American Civil War near Leetown, northeast of Fayetteville, Arkansas. Federal forces, led by Brig. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis, moved south ...

, although the ''Official Records'' lists another officer as the official commander, a member of the

33rd Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment The 33rd Illinois Infantry Regiment (nicknamed the Teacher's Regiment) was an infantry regiment from Illinois that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. A number of the soldiers were college students and graduates, and for a tim ...

described as "lacking in the fundamental requisites of leadership". While in Missouri, he was remarried to a war widow, Emma Adolphin Lenhart, after a ten-day courtship. (Emma's first husband, Dr. William Pettit, was killed in 1962 in Arkansas while transporting slaves to safe haven.) Also while in Missouri, future Buffalo Soldier Cathay Williams was impressed into serving Plummer's regiment, the 8th Indiana, as cook and laundress. At the

Battle of Cotton Plant The Battle of Cotton Plant also known as Action at Hill's Plantation or Action at Cache River or Action at Round Hill (July 7, 1862) was fought during the American Civil War in Woodruff County, Arkansas. Frustrated in its attempt to march to Li ...

in July 1862, he led a brigade. His troops came on the field after most of the fighting was over and helped rout the beaten Confederate force. In April 1862 Benton was promoted to

of volunteers. He served with distinction at the Battles of Port Gibson,

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(where he was wounded),

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, Big Black River, and at the

Siege of Vicksburg The siege of Vicksburg (May 18 – July 4, 1863) was the final major military action in the Vicksburg campaign of the American Civil War. In a series of maneuvers, Union Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and his Army of the Tennessee crossed the Missis ...

. He then served in various district commands with the XIII Corps in Texas and Louisiana throughout 1864, until he commanded a division in the campaign against Mobile,

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

in early 1865. Benton was mustered out of the volunteer service on July 24, 1865. On January 13, 1866, President

Andrew Johnson Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808July 31, 1875) was the 17th president of the United States, serving from 1865 to 1869. He assumed the presidency as he was vice president at the time of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Johnson was a Dem ...

nominated Benton for the award of the

grade of

of volunteers, to rank from March 26, 1865, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the award on March 12, 1866.Eicher, 2001, p. 710

Last years

After the war, Benton was appointed the Collector of Internal Revenue in the City of New Orleans. However, he died of

yellow fever Yellow fever is a viral disease of typically short duration. In most cases, symptoms include fever, chills, loss of appetite, nausea, muscle pains – particularly in the back – and headaches. Symptoms typically improve within five days. In ...

on March 14, 1867. He was interred at Greenwood Cemetery. Benton was a

Freemason Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...

and member of Webb Lodge No. 24 at Richmond, Indiana, and King Solomon Chapter No 4

Royal Arch Masons Royal Arch Masonry (also known as "Capitular Masonry") is the first part of the York Rite system of the Masonic degrees. Royal Arch Masons meet as a ''Chapter'', and the Royal Arch Chapter confers four degrees: ''Mark Master Mason, Past Master, ...

in New Orleans.

Notes

References

* Eicher, John H., and

David J. Eicher David John Eicher (born August 7, 1961) is an American editor, writer, and popularizer of astronomy and space. He has been editor-in-chief of ''Astronomy'' magazine since 2002. He is author, coauthor, or editor of 23 books on science and American ...

, ''Civil War High Commands''. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . * * Warner, Ezra J. ''Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders''. Baton Rouge, Louisiana: LSU Press. 1964. . * Welsh, Jack D. ''Medical Histories of Union Generals''. Columbus, Ohio: Kent State University Press. 1996. . {{DEFAULTSORT:Benton, William Plummer 1828 births 1867 deaths Union Army generals People of Indiana in the American Civil War People from Richmond, Indiana People from Indiana in the Mexican–American War Wayne County District Attorneys 19th-century American lawyers Deaths from yellow fever

Early life

Civil war

Last years

See also

Notes

References