Background
Samuel Benton was born on October 18, 1820, in Williamson County, Tennessee.
captain General politician colonel newspaper publisher
Samuel Benton was born on October 18, 1820, in Williamson County, Tennessee.
He served as a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. 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 Lincolnshire Whig and in favor of states" rights. He served on the Ways and Means Committee at the Secession Convention.
In 1852, he served in the Mississippi state legislature. 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 Alabama, then marched from there to Pensacola, Florida. 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, Mississippi after the Battle of Shiloh. Colonel 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, Tennessee 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, Kentucky, where the 34th fought successfully but at great cost.
Benton was wounded, and his Lieutenant Colonel 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 Alternate"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. When General Walthall was promoted to division command.
Benton was given command of the brigade.
At the Battle of Atlanta on July 22 1864, while commanding the brigade, Colonel 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 legal
Benton died six days later in Griffin, Georgia. He died before his promotion to Brigadier General, dated two days earlier, reached him.
He was buried at Griffin, Georgia, and reinterred after the war in Hillcrest Cemetery in Holly Springs, Mississippi.
Benton County, Mississippi, established in 1870, was named for General Benton.
But the brigade was immovable and defended the position for both days.
He was a member of both the Union Convention of 1855 and the Mississippi Secession Convention of 1861.
