Person:Jesse Benthall (1)

Died of TB Jesse Baben Benthall was a Prisoner of War for several days,being captured on the first day of the Battle of Richmond, KY,on 29 Aug 1862. He was sent back to Barbourville by the yankeeswho now occupied the town where they skirmished the day beforeon the 28th. He was paroled on 4 Sep 1862 at Barboursville,undoubtedly on the promise that he would never raise armsagainst the United States again, and would return homepeaceably. He promptly discovered where his old unit was andrejoined them on Sep 17th, in time for more fighting in KY!Other than those Battles and Skirmishes already listed, he wenton to serve faithfully in Company "K" of the 30th ArkansasInfantry Regiment throughout the rest of the War, serving in thefollowing additional Battles: PERRYVILLE, Boyle Co., KY: 8 Oct 1862 STONE'S RIVER (MURFREESBORO), Rutherford Co.,TN: 30 Dec 1862 - 3Jan 1863 SEIGE of JACKSON, Hinds Co., MS: July 1863

• SPECIAL RECONNAISSANCE DUTY: 12 Oct 1863 (until about 19 Oct?)- spying out the CHATTANOOGA, TN, area

CHICKAMAUGA, Catoosa Co., GA: 19-20 Sep 1863 ATLANTA CAMPAIGN, Northwestern GA: May-Sep 1864 (including thefollowing 8 Battles, through the SEIGE of ATLANTA:) DUG GAP (now DALTON), Whitfield Co., GA: 8 May 1864 RESACA, Gordon Co., GA: 14-15 May 1864 NEW HOPE CHURCH, Paulding Co., GA: 25 May 1864 KENESAW MOUNTAIN, Cobb Co., GA: 19 Jun - 2 Jul 1864 MOORE'S MILL, Fulton Co., GA: 19 Jul 1864 PEACHTREE CREEK, Atlanta, Fulton Co., GA: 20 Jul 1864 ATLANTA, Fulton Co., GA: 22 Jul 1864 EZRA CHAPEL, Atlanta, Fulton Co., GA: 28 Jul 1864 SEIGE of ATLANTA, Fulton Co., GA: Jul - Sep 1864 (including thefollowing 3 Battles:) JONESBORO, Clayton Co., GA: 31 Aug - 1 Sep 1864 LOVEJOY'S STATION, Clayton Co., GA: 2-5 Sep 1864 MOON'S STATION, Cobb Co., GA: 3 Oct 1864 (as part of alast-ditch maneuver by Gen. Hood's CSA forces before withdrawingN/W into Alabama) FRANKLIN, Williamson Co., TN: 30 Nov 1864 NASHVILLE, Davidson Co., TN: 15-16 Dec 1864 SUGAR CREEK, Giles Co., TN: 26 Dec 1864 THE CAROLINAS CAMPAIGN: Feb - Apr 1865 (including the following2 Battles:) AVERASBORO, Sampson Co., NC: 16 Mar 1865 BENTONVILLE, Johnston Co., NC: 19-21 Mar 1865

• SURRENDERED: 26 Apr 1865 at JAMESTOWN, NC, under the Army ofGen. Joseph F. Johnston to Gen. Wm. T. Sherman
• PAROLED: May 1865 at GREENSBORO, NC, then shipped to Jackson,Madison Co., TN (his birthplace), where final Parole and releasewas given: June 1865

CSA, Enlisted in Co. C, (Turnbulls Battalion) 25th ArkansasInfantry, at St. Charles, Arkansas, February 22, 1862. This waschanged to Co. K, 25th Arkansas Infantry. May and June, 1862 hewas listed as "present" with Co., K, 25th Arkansas Infantry,June through August, 1862, and again September and October, hewas listed with Co., K, 30th Regiment Arkansas Infantry. Thecompany muster roll of November - December he was listed as "present" but withthe notation "paroled Sept. 17, 1862" (Captured??) Companymuster rolls have him as "present" from January - June with Co.,K, 25th Arkansas Infantry. Then for the months of Sept - Oct,there is a notation "absent on detached duty since Oct 22, 1862.From Jan-August of 1864 he is listed as "present" with Co. K,25th. Next he is erroneously listed as Jesse "Bentlaw" in Co.,K, 1st Arkansas Mtd. Rifles who was paroled at Greensboro, NC,April, 1865. Another muster roll from Co., K, 25th Arkansasregiment has him paroled at Jackson, TN on June 1865. I havenot been able to find any pension application for him or hiswidow as they both died ca 1889.

1. ↑ Sadie Wilson Burgess, Ruston, LA.
2. ↑ Rust, Henderson Bible Records.
3. ↑ Census, 1870 Arkansas Co, AR.
4. ↑ Rust, Henderson Bible Records.
5. ↑ John Melba Henderson , Jr. letter, June 1964. John Melba Henderson , Jr. letter, June 1964.
6. ↑ John Melba Henderson , Jr. letter, June 1964. John Melba Henderson , Jr. letter, June 1964.
7. ↑ Died of TB
8. ↑ Jesse served as a Private in Company "K" of the 25th / 30thArkansas Infantry Regiment during the Civil War, enlisting on 22Feb 1862 at St. Charles, AR, into a unit which later wasredesignated as the above unit when certain outfits consolidatedtogether and were renamed. At the time of his enlistment, hisunit was known as Company "C", 11th Battalion (a.k.a."Turnbull's Battalion"), Arkansas Infantry. On 18 Jun 1862,this unit was redesignated Company "K", 25th Arkansas Infantry.The 25th was also called the 30th Arkansas, and was officiallyrenamed that before the end of 1862. As in other states,occasionally units would be raised in different parts of thestate at the same time and would inadvertantly be given the samenumerical designation. After these errors would come to lightin the next few weeks or months, one unit or the other wouldchange its name, but early records would remain in the oldnumbering, only with footnotes to distinguish which was which.In the case of this unit, it is often seen as the 25th/30thArkansas, but for most of the War, it was simply known as the30th Arkansas.
   The flag that it carried at Stone's River (Murfreesboro), TN,which Battle took place 30 Dec 1862 to 3 Jan 1863, was capturedby a Union soldier, after the color-bearer had been killed andthe flag lay near him. This flag was later returned to Arkansasunder the Presidential orders of Teddy Roosevelt which gave allidentifiable colors back to the states to which they originallybelonged. I believe this order was given in 1905, much to theprotest of many Union veteran's organizations who were the menwho captured these colors on the field of battle. ButRoosevelt---a staunch Republican of the G.O.P. with his father'sroots firmly in the North (Oyster Bay, Long Island,NY)---believed that 40 years was enough time to enjoy thesetrophies, and ordered them returned. After all, Roosevelt'smother was from Georgia, and a Southerner all the way. Allunidentifiable flags were kept in Washington, D.C., or thevarious State capitals in the Northern States, and some werelater given to the Confederate Museum in Richmond, VA, when itopened. Other Southern Battle Flags had been kept in privatecollections---such as individuals, libraries, veteran'sorganizations, or historical societies---in the North and South,just as some Northern Battle Flags had, and most of theseweren't returned because they were now considered privateproperty. Some of these, however, were later donated to Statearchives or museums, and were not subject to the 1905 executiveorders for Flag returns. So many State governments now haveBattle Flags from previous opponents, but they are legitimateartifacts in their possession, according to law.
   The early Battle Flag of the 30th Arkansas Infantry was returnedto Arkansas, and is now on display in the Old State Capitolbuilding in Little Rock. It is a large cotton flag, a bluerectangle with a white border and a white "X"-shaped crossstretching all across it from all corners. In the top andbottom white borders are the words "30th REG" and "ARK INF",and in the top and bottom blue areas---triangular areas pointingtoward the center of the white "X"---are the words "FARMINGTONMISS" and "RICHMOND KY" respectively. Farmington is a smalltown just N/E of Corinth, Alcorn Co., MS, and was a defensivesector in the Corinth Campaign, from April to June 1862, withthe Battle of Farmington being fought on June 10. The Battle ofRichmond, Lancaster Co., KY, was fought over two days, 29 - 30Aug 1862. These were two of the 4 Battles the unit had been inup to that time. The Battle of Perryville, Boyle Co., KY,fought on 8 Oct 1862, was the major engagement in the KentuckyCampaign of Bragg's drive to the North and would have no doubtbeen sewn onto the flag as well. It would seem, however, thatthey perhaps didn't have time to do it before the flag was inyet another Battle and subsequently captured. The remainingBattle honor missing was really more of a large skirmish, atBarboursville, Knox Co., KY, about 25 miles out of theCumberland Gap, fought on 28 Aug 1862, the day before Richmond,KY.
   
   Jesse Baben Benthall was a Prisoner of War for several days,being captured on the first day of the Battle of Richmond, KY,on 29 Aug 1862. He was sent back to Barbourville by the yankeeswho now occupied the town where they skirmished the day beforeon the 28th. He was paroled on 4 Sep 1862 at Barboursville,undoubtedly on the promise that he would never raise armsagainst the United States again, and would return homepeaceably. He promptly discovered where his old unit was andrejoined them on Sep 17th, in time for more fighting in KY!Other than those Battles and Skirmishes already listed, he wenton to serve faithfully in Company "K" of the 30th ArkansasInfantry Regiment throughout the rest of the War, serving in thefollowing additional Battles:
   
   PERRYVILLE, Boyle Co., KY: 8 Oct 1862
   
   STONE'S RIVER (MURFREESBORO), Rutherford Co.,TN: 30 Dec 1862 -3 Jan 1863
   
   SEIGE of JACKSON, Hinds Co., MS: July 1863
   
   *SPECIAL RECONNAISSANCE DUTY: 12 Oct 1863 (until about 19 Oct?)- spying out the CHATTANOOGA,
   TN, area
   
   CHICKAMAUGA, Catoosa Co., GA: 19-20 Sep 1863
   
   ATLANTA CAMPAIGN, Northwestern GA: May-Sep 1864 (including thefollowing 8 Battles, through the SEIGE of ATLANTA:)
   
   DUG GAP (now DALTON), Whitfield Co., GA: 8 May 1864
   
   RESACA, Gordon Co., GA: 14-15 May 1864
   
   NEW HOPE CHURCH, Paulding Co., GA: 25 May 1864
   
   KENESAW MOUNTAIN, Cobb Co., GA: 19 Jun - 2 Jul 1864
   
   MOORE'S MILL, Fulton Co., GA: 19 Jul 1864
   
   PEACHTREE CREEK, Atlanta, Fulton Co., GA: 20 Jul 1864
   
   ATLANTA, Fulton Co., GA: 22 Jul 1864
   
   EZRA CHAPEL, Atlanta, Fulton Co., GA: 28 Jul 1864
   
   SEIGE of ATLANTA, Fulton Co., GA: Jul - Sep 1864 (includingthe following 3 Battles:)
   
   JONESBORO, Clayton Co., GA: 31 Aug - 1 Sep 1864
   
   LOVEJOY'S STATION, Clayton Co., GA: 2-5 Sep 1864
   
   MOON'S STATION, Cobb Co., GA: 3 Oct 1864 (as part of alast-ditch maneuver by Gen. Hood's CSA forces before withdrawingN/W into Alabama)
   
   FRANKLIN, Williamson Co., TN: 30 Nov 1864
   
   NASHVILLE, Davidson Co., TN: 15-16 Dec 1864
   
   SUGAR CREEK, Giles Co., TN: 26 Dec 1864
   
   THE CAROLINAS CAMPAIGN: Feb - Apr 1865 (including thefollowing 2 Battles:)
   
   AVERASBORO, Sampson Co., NC: 16 Mar 1865
   
   BENTONVILLE, Johnston Co., NC: 19-21 Mar 1865
   
   *SURRENDERED: 26 Apr 1865 at JAMESTOWN, NC, under the Army ofGen. Joseph F. Johnston to Gen. Wm. T. Sherman
   
   *PAROLED: May 1865 at GREENSBORO, NC, then shipped to Jackson,Madison Co., TN (his birthplace), where final Parole and releasewas given: June 1865