James Gilchrist Benton

Background

James Benton was born on September in Lebanon, New Hampshire, the son of Calvin and Mary (Gilchrist) Benton. His father was postmaster of Lebanon for many years, a wool merchant, and the first to introduce merino sheep into New England.

Education

Benton graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, July 1, 1842.

Career

Benton was promoted to brevet second lieutenant in the Ordnance Corps, and assigned to Watervliet Arsenal, Troy, New York. He was promoted to second lieutenant, March 3, 1847. The following year he was promoted to first lieutenant and assigned to duty in the Ordnance Office at Washington, and assisted in the preparation of A System of Artillery for the Land Service and the Ordnance Manual. From 1849 to 1857 he served at various arsenals and at Washington, where he was engaged in making experiments to determine the model of a new rifled musket to replace the smooth-bore then in use, and from 1857 to 1861 he was an instructor in ordnance and gunnery at the United States Military Academy. While there he published A Course of Instruction in Ordnance and Gunnery, for the Use of Cadets at the United States Military Academy, and he also designed for the Seacoast Service a wrought-iron gun-carriage that was adopted by the government.

Benton was promoted captain, July 1, 1856, after fourteen years' continuous service. He was assigned, April 28, 1861, to duty as principal assistant to the Chief of Ordnance, and retained this position until September 15, 1863, when he was promoted to major, and assigned to the command of the Washington Arsenal, where he remained until June 1866. Soon after he assumed command, an explosion took place in one of the storerooms. He entered the building, and, with the assistance of a single man, extinguished the flames. In July 1864, on the occasion of another explosion, he entered a magazine, stripped off his coat, threw it over an open barrel of powder that was dangerously close to the flames, and carried the barrel in his arms to a place of safety. He was assigned to the command of the National Armory at Springfield, Massachussets, in 1866, where he remained until his death.

Benton was brevetted lieutenant-colonel and colonel, March 13, 1865, for "faithful and meritorious services in the Ordnance Department" during the Civil War. He received his promotion to lieutenant-colonel, June 23, 1874, and to colonel, May 29, 1875. Benton served on many special details, among which were the boards on ordnance; on seacoast rifles, cannon, carriages, projectiles, etc. ; to examine ordnance officers for promotion; to consider the Protocol of the International Military Commission relative to the use of certain projectiles in war; on superintending the arming of certain seacoast fortifications; to determine the proper caliber of small arms; on the manufacture of Rodman's 15-inch guns; to examine ordnance and ordnance stores in various countries in Europe; on army revolvers; on selection of a magazine gun for the United States Service.

Achievements

• James Benton was a well-known ordnance expert who made several inventions: the electro-ballistic machine for determining the velocity of projectiles, an improved caliper for inspecting shells, a velocimeter, a spring-dynamometer, a cap-filling machine, a reinforcing cap for cartridge cases, the electro-ballistic pendulum, system for loading and maneuvering barbette guns under cover from the enemy's fire and others. He never took out a patent on his inventions, holding that the government that had educated him was entitled to benefit in every way by his time and talents. Benton also published A Course of Instruction in Ordnance and Gunnery, for the Use of Cadets at the United States Military Academy (1857).

Works

More photos

• book

  • A Course of Instruction in Ordnance & Gunnery: Prepared for the Use of the Cadets of the United States MIlitary Academy

    (A Course of Instruction in Ordnance & Gunnery Prepared fo...)

Personality

Benton was a man of dignified deportment, frank, genial, of unassuming manners, kind, and sympathetic.

Connections

James Benton was married, August 17, 1859, to Catherine L. , daughter of Gen. J. Watson Webb.

Father:

Calvin Benton

Mother:

Mary (Gilchrist) Benton

Spouse:

Catherine L. (Webb) Benton

Sister:

Martha Jane Benton

Son:

James Watson Benton