William Plummer Benton William Plummer Benton ( December 25 , 1828 – March 14 , 1867 ) was an American lawyer and soldier who served in both the Mexican - American War and the American Civil War , where he would rise to the rank of brigadier general and , in 1866 , after his service had ended , would be awarded the brevet grade of major general . Early life . Benton was born in New Market , Maryland . His father died when he was four months old and in 1836 , he moved with his mother to Richmond , Indiana . Beginning at age 15 , Benton spent 2 – 3 years in Cincinnati as a chairmaker . When Benton was 18 years old , he enlisted as a private in the Mexican War , and fought with gallantry in the mounted infantry at Contreras , Churubusco , Chapultepec and Mexico City . Returning to Richmond at the war ' s end , he entered college to study law . He was admitted to the bar in Indiana in 1851 and began practice with Charles Clark . In 1852 , he was elected district attorney of Wayne County on the Whig ticket and served until 1854 . In 1854 , he formed a partnerhsip with J . B . Julian which continued until 1856 , when he was elected judge of the Common pleas court , serving one term , until defeated for renomination in 1858 . In 1855 , Benton was married to Sarah A . Wiggins , daughter of Daniel A . Wiggins of Richmond . He and Sarah had three children , Walter , Jessie , and Mary . His wife died of consumption in 1861 at the age of 27 . Civil war . Benton raised the first company from Wayne County following Lincolns call for 75 , 000 volunteers . He was its captain when the company became part of the 8th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment , but was elected the regiment ' s colonel . He led the 8th Indiana in some the earliest fighting of the war during McClellan ' s Western Virginia campaign of 1861 , including the Battle of Rich Mountain . The regiment was then ordered to Missouri . Benton is said to have commanded a brigade at the Battle of Pea Ridge , although the " Official Records " lists another officer as the official commander , a member of the 33rd Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment described as " lacking in the fundamental requisites of leadership " . While in Missouri , he was remarried to a war widow , Emma Adolphin Lenhart , after a ten - day courtship . In April 1862 Benton was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers and served with distinction at the Battles of Port Gibson , Jackson ( where he was wounded ) , Champion Hill , Big Black River , and at the Siege of Vicksburg . He then served in various district commands with the XIII Corps in Texas and Louisiana throughout 1864 , until he commanded a division in the campaign against Mobile , Alabama in early 1865 . Benton was mustered out of the volunteer service on July 24 , 1865 . On January 13 , 1866 , President Andrew Johnson nominated Benton for the award of the brevet grade of major general of volunteers , to rank from March 26 , 1865 , and the U . S . Senate confirmed the award on March 12 , 1866 . Last years . After the war , Benton was appointed the Collector of Internal Revenue in the City of New Orleans . However , he died of yellow fever on March 14 , 1867 . He was interred at Greenwood Cemetery . Benton was a Freemason and member of Webb Lodge No . 24 at Richmond Indiana and King Solomon Chapter No 4 Royal Arch Masons in New Orleans .