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https://micivilwar.com/authors/benton-thomas-h/
Regiment: 19th Indiana Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Washington City Sept. 5
th 1862
Dear Wife:
I arrived here yesterday 10 o’clock and tele-
graphed back to you at 2 o’clock. I have been through some
ten hospitals since I came but cannot learn anything
about Thomas or Sam, only Thomas was left on the
battlefield and is thought to be dead, and Sam was badly
wounded and fell in the hands of the Rebels. I have also
heard, but not reliably, that they were both in the Rebel
hospital beyond Manassas. The balance of the Nineteenth
Regiment is only six miles from here, but it is impossible
to get a pass to go over the river, neither for love or
money, hence I cannot see them. There was a train of
ambulances went out yesterday; enough to bring in five
hundred of the wounded, and they are expected back tomorrow.
If I can learn nothing definite from them, I
shall return home Monday, or start home at that
time. I have made up my mind that my poor boy is dead and
in some ditch on the battlefield. From all the circumstances
it seems like hoping against hope. Lieutenant Hindman
is here wounded through the leg. He said Thomas was wounded
in the thigh before he was, but helped to carry him in the
rear, and he wanted Thomas to stay with him, but he said he
would go back and fight as long as he could stand, and he
had not been back long before he was shot across the breast
and fell. And young Hyatt told me he saw him fall, and
intended to help him, but was ordered to close up the company,
and when he looked again, Thomas had crawled to an
apple tree and was sitting with his back against it, and
the enemy was then so near to them they had to fall back
and leave the wounded in the hands of the enemy.
He said in falling back, Sam was wounded and left
also. I am as well as common. Let Mr. McCown see this
letter, and tell him I have some hopes of his son, but none
of mine. Dear wife try to be resigned to the will of the
Lord, and not let it worry you too much. Your affectionate
husband,
Thomas Benton
[newspaper clipping; likely from a Richmond, Indiana
newspaper, no date, but ca. Sept.2, 1862, taped to page
three of the letter]
Special dispatch to Governor Morton
Washington, Sept. 1
Gov. 0. P. Morton:
Lieut. Samuel Meredith, Capt. Lindley and Lieut.
Finney, of Co. H, 19th Indiana, are here. The loss in the
19th regiment is total 327, as follows: killed 66,
wounded 125, balance missing. Major May killed. Wounded,
Capta. Lindley, in the leg; Lieut. Meredith, in the neck
and doing well; Lieut. Cook, Co. C, wounded and a prisoner;
Lieut. Jack, Co. D, wounded and a prisoner; Lieut. Newman,
Co. C, in knee seriously; Lieut. Finney, Co. H, in the arm
slightly; Lieut. Hindman, in the leg, ball yet in; Corporal
Hartley and five privates, Capt. Lindley’s company, killed.
McCown, of Richmond, wounded; Benton, of Richmond, wounded
in the breast; Col. Gavin, wounded in the side seriously,
and left for home this morning; Col. Brown of the 20th,
killed. Col. Harrow’s regiment, 14th, went through
Alexandria yesterday. Gen. Mitchell takes command at Hilton
Head, vice Hunter.
W. T. Dennis
