The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-03-09

Confederates and Benoit fought Tor
100 DAYS under the Stars and Bars.
Hancock's command was the one Ben
oft fought against during this time. At
the expiration of his three months en-
Iistment, Benoit endeavored TO leave
the regiment and the confederacy too,
but was impressed again into service.
He did not favor the stand made by
the South, even when he first went in
to the Choctaw regiment to fight
against the Stars and Stripes, but dis
erection was then the better part OF
vaior and he had thrown in his lot
with his friends and neighbors. When
pressment Benoit did the next best
thing. He deserted and went to the
Union camp where he enlisted, but not
under the name OF Benoit which he
feared would get him into trouble with
his former comrades if he was ever
taken prisoner He was known to the
Union soldiers as futile, and as futile
he fought for Old Glory for three years,
nine months and fourteen days, being
mustered out in September 1865, while
acting as Provost Marshal of Atlanta,
Georgia. with the rank of Lieutenant
Colonel
His first enlistment with the Union
forces was in the Fifth Pennsylvania
Cavalry. He fought at Lookout Noun
tain, Shiloh, before Vicksburg and in
a dozen other engagements, and was
with Sherman on his march to the
sea. Three times he was taken pris-
oner and while once under the sur
vigilance of the rebels narrowly missed
the moose. He was first sent to An
dersonville stockade from which place
he emerged as an exchanged prisoner.
While lieutenant he was captured
and sent to Libby Prison. After enjoy
ing liberty from that foul warehouse
prison for just fourteen days he was
again captured and sent to Millen
stockade, the name Of which is still
linked with that of Andersonville as
camps into which mortal man was ever
thrust.
One day news was brought to the
rebels guarding the stockade that
portion of Sherman's army was on the
march toward Millen. A council of war
was held and it was decided to tear
off the gates, drive the prisoners out
toward the woods and in a direction
which would take them away from the
Union army, and then unleash the
on them. The horrible
scheme was carried out. The prisoners
were driven out of the stockade and
sent into the woods at the point of
the bayonet, and then into the ears
formed a group, came the deep baying
of the hounds. 1t was useless to try
to throw them off the scent and they
waited for their blood thirsty enemies.
Before the hounds could launch at the
threats of the group the beasts were
struck down with sticks, and shortly
afterward the prisoners came across
the Union forces. Benoit was restored
to his command and having received a
high commission by this time, finally
became provost marshal of Atlanta.
While at Andersonville Benoit once
came face to face with Wirz, the inhu-
man commander of the stockade. Wirz
had known Benoit before the war, hav-
ing been often in Arkansas to buy
slaves from Benoit's father. The lat
ter kept what was called in ante-bel-
lum days "breeding-place" for slaves.
BenOit noted the look of recognition
Wirz asked his name and Benoit re-
piled, futile" Wirz was suspicious
for some time but finally let the mat
ter drop.
In 1869 Benoit, who was then living
IN California, became attached to a
party which was about to
Holt Bros, of Stockton, and upon ar
rival in Chile, threw in his lot with |
he Chilean army and in time became
4 Colonel. He put in eighteen months |
n that service and then returned TO the |
United States, later enlisting in the |
,agular army from which he received |
his discharge in 1898. He then re-en-
listed with the volunteers and saw ser
vice IN the Philippines.
And today, this man of forty years
experience in warfare and soldiery has
become an officer in the cause of hui
nanity ready to respond to any call /
o prevent a dumb animal from being |
Il-freaf9d