William Bensinger

William Bensinger (January 14, 1840 to December 19, 1918) was an American soldier who fought for the Union in the American Civil War. On March 25, 1863, he was the second person given the country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during the Great Locomotive Chase in Georgia in April 1862.[1]

William Bensinger
Born(1840-01-14)January 14, 1840
Waynesburg, Ohio
DiedDecember 19, 1918(1918-12-19) (aged 78)
McComb, Ohio
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service1861 - 1866
RankCaptain
Unit 21st Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry - Company G
Battles/warsGreat Locomotive Chase
Awards Medal of Honor

Biography
Andrew's Raiders - William Bensinger is at #6 (Front row, 2nd from left)

Bensinger was born on January 14, 1840 in Waynesburg, Ohio and enlisted into the 21st Ohio Infantry at Hancock County, Ohio.[2] He was among a group of Ohio men (19 soldiers and 2 civilians) who volunteered for a secret mission to disrupt Confederate communication. In April, this group led by James J. Andrews, which later came to be called Andrews' Raiders, boarded a train in Georgia. On April 12, after it stopped in Big Shanty, they commandeered its engine and three boxcars and headed toward Chattanooga, Tennessee. Pursued by the Confederates, they destroyed track and telegraph lines along the way. They never made it to Chattanooga and abandoned the engine, before all were captured within a week. Some were hanged and some, including Bensinger, were taken to prison camp.[3] He eventually escaped and arrived in Washington, D.C., later moving to McComb, Ohio, where he died on December 19, 1918.[2]

Medal of Honor citation

One of the 19 of 22 men (including 2 civilians) who, by direction of Gen. Mitchell (or Buell), penetrated nearly 200 miles south into enemy territory and captured a railroad train at Big Shanty, Ga., in an attempt to destroy the bridges and track between Chattanooga and Atlanta.[1]

See also

References
  1. "Civil War (A-L) Medal of Honor Recipients". Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  2. "Military Times Hall of Valor". Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  3. "William Bensinger's Sword". Retrieved 24 August 2013.
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